The Sunday Scoop, a New Linky Party!

Happy Sunday Night, everyone!

Tonight I am linking up to Teaching Trio's "The Sunday Scoop", a brand new linky party that just started today! For once I am on time with this blogging thing...even though it's 11 pm and I should be in bed! I guess that's what happens when you take an hour and 1/2 nap during the late afternoon...

Anyway, here goes nothing! :)

 

 Hmm...by the looks of this my life looks a little ZZZzzzzzzzz, but if you only knew what my "secret" appointment and "mystery" classes are all about...hehehe. Any guesses?!

Night night!

XO <3, C

September Currently

I can't believe it's September already! I am so super excited for fall this year, which is kind of a new thing for me.  Usually I have a love/hate relationship with it. I LOVE warm fall weather, but hate the gray raw days of November. I love heading back to school, but hate the stress that it brings. I love looking forward to autumn activities, but dread the winter blues that pop up after the fall. This summer wasn't my favorite for a variety of reasons, mostly due to feeling quite sick for weeks on end, so this year I am welcoming September with OPEN ARMS!

Today I am linking up with Farley from Oh Boy 4th Grade for her "Currently" par-tay.

Listening ("Reckless", "The Bridge", "Mistresses")- Pretty obvious.  Those are my favorite summer shows! "Reckless", a cop/lawyer drama + romance, is new this year, and I'm really hoping it will be renewed!

Loving (warm days and cool nights)- Yup, I'm just ready for this fall! I would like to try out our new fire pit, a 1st anniversary gift from my brother, sometime very soon! S'mores, anyone?! I'm also really loving this September "Currently" template! I would so love to go camping this fall, as long as it's not too chilly.  My number one camping goal: spot a moose for the FIRST time (a wish I've had since I did my first report ever on moose in the 2nd Grade)!

Thinking (family and first grade)- I've spent a lot of time thinking about my family recently for so many reasons. I've realized that my "first baby" isn't really my little Dudley pup, but instead my little brother, who continues to melt my heart every single day. First Grade has also been on my mind a ton. Since I'm new to the grade, I've been reading a lot of First Grade blogs and researching First Grade literacy ideas/lessons on Pinterest. I'm wondering when I will be able to start planning for my small groups...eeek! :)

Wanting (OIL and a shower!)- Ummm...yeah...we ran out of oil AGAIN for the 2nd time this year. I suppose I should probably be held equally accountable for the household responsibility of ordering oil, but c'mon that's really Sam's job....!!! I'm really wanting a warm shower right abut now!

Needing (new fall clothes)- This is both unfortunate and fortunate! Love to SHOP, hate spending money!

3 Trips (Greece, Alaska, Switzerland)- Sadly, these are not 3 places I've traveled too, but instead 3 DREAM vacations. Sigh...

Happy September, everyone!

XO <3, C

Five For Friday and Ending my Blogging Hiatus!

This whole blogging thing isn't exactly working out. I definitely just disappeared for oh-almost-half-of-a-year.  :( It's not that I forgot...It's just that I was totally annoyed with my computer and didn't feel like dealing with it, but now I have no excuse because I FINALLY have a BEAUTIFUL NEW laptop! I think it will be too hard to update you all on the past 5 months, so let's just join the "Five for Friday" party and talk about the past week instead... :)

Today, the Chocolate Dudley himself and I returned from the vet (per the usual), only to find a package from DELL awaiting in between our two side doors. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for several months for a brand new laptop, but kept putting off ordering a new one due to the expense. I have to say, Windows 8.1 is quite different, and it's going to take a bit of getting used to, but so far so good! By the way- I am writing this post, while LAYING DOWN in bed and the computer is UNPLUGGED! Can you believe it? I forgot what this was like! No more overheating and shutting down if I ever so slightly move the power cord just one millimeter!

 I am no longer a stay-at-home wife/ Dudley-mom!  THANK YOU, GOD, I am BACK at SCHOOL! After having the whole year off, and after the incredible disappointment of the California adventure falling through, I am extremely grateful to be working in an elementary school again this year!  I don't have my own classroom, and even though I would really love to have that again one day, I am ECSTATIC about my new position! I'm working as a part-time literacy aide in a first grade classroom, and get this- the school is less than 5 minutes away! How amazing is that?!?! It's like a dream come true after teaching in a district that was an hour away.  I love that I can now feel part of my OWN community, and I don't have to leave the house so super early every morning only to be disappointed that I am still one of the last arrivals at school.  Hooray! The other fabulous part about this position is I am working in one and only one classroom.  I am so happy to have a batch of my own students that I can bond with and inspire!  Check out the beautiful bouquet of "Happy Back to School"/ Belated Anniversary flowers from Mr. Samuel...

 

Even though I am back working, I have to say, I really am still LIVING the LIFE!  Since I only stay at school 'til 11:30 each morning, I have plenty of time to hit up the beach while the summer weather sticks around. Check out the pictures below from this past week, on the first FULL day of school for first graders!  Those poor kiddos had a longer day than me! It's very strange for me to walk out in the middle of the day.  I feel guilty and as if I'm sneaking out... Can I really just leave and walk out like that?! So far this new schedule has been the perfect mix- allowing me to participate in my passion, but also stay super stress-free!

 

First graders are waaaaay different than the third graders I am used to, but that's pretty obvious isn't it?  I have met some cuties who are already melting my heart! Here are some funny first grade observations I have made so far...

1. First graders are big into hugging, especially when sad, and love to sit on adults' laps. So incredibly sweet!

2. They're criers. Many of them miss mommy and daddy during the first week or so, and some completely panic after leaving a teddy bear on the bus. Precious!  (I definitely had my fair share of criers in third grade too, though).

3. They never know if they brought their lunch to school or if they are buying hot lunch from the cafe, even though they peaked in their lunchbox an hour beforehand during snack time!

4. Many of them panic when asked to write their last name, despite the fact it is spelled RIGHT in front of them on the nameplate on their desk! Haha!

5. The fact that vowels make more than one sound is a totally foreign concept to them, and writing the lowercase alphabet is just plain tricky! :)

Due to observation #5, I found some very useful tools on Teachers Pay Teachers that I'd like to bring into the classroom once I officially begin working with small groups. Check a couple of them out...

I plan on printing out this great Alphabet Chart included in "Phonics Charts for Guided Reading and Writing" by Haley O'Connor. It's super cute and FREE! The resource also includes charts with digraphs, blends, vowel teams and r-controlled vowels!

These short vowel songs sung to the tune of "BINGO" by The Crazy Schoolteacher should also be useful to some of my kiddos as they aren't so hot with their vowel sounds. This resource is F-R-E-E as well, and great news- The Crazy Schoolteacher also has a Long Vowel Songs freebie!

Last but not least for today, the classroom teacher I am working with has a great little set-up for student work that needs to be turned in.  Next to the basket she uses to collect completed work, is a sign and a bucket of yellow highlighters that remind children to highlight their NAME on their papers.  This is a strategy I could for sure bring into an upper elementary grade as I know all too well how my third graders (and fourth) consistently skipped writing their name on their work, which can be very frustrating! I wish the picture below was from the classroom I work in, but this Pinterest photo will have to do instead.

This photo is from Pinterest, but did not link to a website. If you are the owner of the photo please contact me so I can give you credit! :)

Enjoy your LONG weekend, everyone! If you're interested in linking up to the party, click on the "Five for Friday" button at the top of this post!

XO <3, C

February Currently

Happy February, everyone!  I can't believe the month I have been waiting for is HERE!  So much to do and so little time! :)

Today, I am linking up with Farley from Oh Boy Fourth Grade to join her Currently "party".

listening- I'm loving all of those songs, but Lady Gaga's is my go-to for the gym, since I have recently been forcing myself to workout to help with my tension headaches.  (Note the word "forcing").

loving- Homeland. I'm obsessed with it.  I've been wanting to watch it for over a year now, but we didn't have a subscription to Showtime.  We finally bit the bullet and purchased it, and now watch Homeland multiple times a week.  We're almost at the end of Season 2!

thinking- I need to book one last motel for us for the trip out to SD.  According to my plans, it should be around Bisbee, AZ, and I'm feeling like the options around that area may be limited. I don't think I'll plan the trip home until it gets closer to that time, just in case anything changes.  Aside from booking the remaining hotel, there is a TON to do.  Prepping the house for our house-sitters.  Packing CLOTHES.  Packing Dudley's belongings & obtaining copies of proof of his vaccinations.  Shopping for road-trip necessities...Fixing my break pads. :( Boo! My car was inspected yesterday, and I just received that bright piece of news.  Here is to hoping Sam can fix the breaks, because otherwise I'll be throwing 350 bucks to the auto body shop.

wanting- A clean car. I don't remember the last time it was vacuumed, and I cannot stomach the idea of traveling in it for 8 days straight under its current disgusting condition.  I really need a day of "warm" weather so I can get out there and vacuum it!

needing-I haven't been to yoga since before I came down with that flu last week. I must get back into that routine asap!

2 truths & a fib- I wish Sam's trip had been extended!  So far it hasn't, so that was my fib!  It is true we will only have valet parking available to us at the hotel we'll be staying at in SD.  That will for sure take some getting used to!  Speaking of parking- apparently it costs $38 a day.  Thank Goodness Sam's work will pay for it for his car...but for my car?! We may be footing the bill, which will mean we'll opt out of receiving a rental car and just share 1 car while we're there.  Looks like I may be driving Sam to work every day at the crack of dawn, so I can take the car to explore.  Lastly, yes, our hotel is located about 500 feet away from PETCO Park, home of the SD Padres. So exciting!

Thanks for reading!

XO <3, C