High Five for Friday! (AKA TGIF)

This week has felt like it has dragged out like none other!

My kids have been hilarious, though!!  

They have been obsessed with getting me to say pee-pee.  They have been trying to get my to spell "happy" (for "pp") and "I cup" (I see you pee) the whole week!  Goobers.

The funniest moment was when one tried (desperately!!) to get me to spell I cup and then say rainbows.  I laughed out loud and told him that was funny...it wasn't happening, but it was funny.

I love those little buggers.

Here are some photos from the week.

Starting with the socks and going clockwise...

1.  A Facebook friend posted this picture this week and I lol'd because this is me everyday!  I don't wear matching socks.  It started a few years ago because I didn't feel like matching my socks anymore! Handsome Husband finds it funny.  It usually takes a few days for my students to get used to it, but once they do a few usually follow suit. :)

2.  My class voted this week.  They predicted correctly!  They LOVED the cookies...and I did, too!

3.  Handsome Husband's mea culpa.  Love him.

4.  I went to Kalamazoo on Saturday with my friend Lindsay to pick out bridesmaid dresses and her friend Nicole got these amazing cookies from the same bakery that I got the "Vote" cookies from.

5.  I L.O.V.E. this scarf.  I totally put it on the Christmas list that I gave to my folks.  I love the houndstooth pattern.  I have a bit of a problem with scarves.  I have so many hung on the back of a door that the door is starting to lean...scarves, people!!  Who'd've thunk??

Plus, I think that the coolest thing of all is that I have finally arrived on Pinterest.  My friend Brit pinned a tutorial that I did on Pinterest!  Cool!

I hope you have a great weekend and don't forget to check out H54F at From My Grey Desk!

Laters!

Mrs. B

What a Day, What a Day

As I sit here listening to the pitter patter of little paws on our hardwood, I am thinking about how lucky I am to be a teacher.

As educators, we won a very difficult race last night.  Glenda Ritz has officially replaced Tony Bennett as our Superintendent of Indiana's schools.  I am excited to have someone who has a background in education as a leader in this state.

That being said...

we still have a long road ahead of us.

Student achievement is (and should be) the most important thing for a teacher.  When my team began this year, 60% of our students COULD NOT READ.  Slowly, but surely, we are making a change.  It may not show on their state test scores yet, but I think it will soon.  They have begun to feel more successful and most have shown it on the tests that we take each week.

It's because of those little nuggets that I work my tushie off each night and weekend.  I am DARN tired of people on the outside looking in saying that teachers don't do anything but take naps, color and babysit all day.  Come walk a day in my shoes.

I spent the morning desperately trying to teach my students to read, the afternoon collaborating with my team to make sure that we are effective in the way we teach phonics and the evening writing lesson plans for next week, grading papers, making sure I know exactly what to do tomorrow to be on my game and trying to get some quality time in with Handsome Husband and my in-laws dogs (that we are watching).  In fact, I shouldn't be blogging right now since I am in the middle of typing a lesson!

I went to bed nervous last night and woke up hopeful this morning.  I know that many of you may be disappointed in the ways the election turned out, but I'm going to ignore that and go back to what is most important in my day...

teaching the leaders of tomorrow to read and be the best citizens they can be. 

Mrs. B

Casting the Ballot

As part of our (non-existent) social studies curriculum we discussed the election that was going on.  I just had to let you know in case you didn't know that we were having one. :)

My students were very interested and were THRILLED when I told them that they were going to get to vote this year.

We discussed where you vote (polling place, booth), what you vote on (ballot), and when you vote (November 6).

I set up dividers on the counter as their booths, printed slips of paper as their ballots and got them wicked cute cookies from a local bakery that stood in for their "I voted" sticker (which my polling place DIDN'T HAND OUT!!!!!...I was bummed.).

Here are a couple pictures from our day:

They had a blast.
Barack Obama won by a landslide.
 Did you get out and vote today??

Laters, 

Mrs. B

High Five For Friday!!

I am sooooo thankful that this week is O.V.E.R.  

It signals that parent/teacher conferences are over;

another 3:30 - 6:00 professional development meeting is done with;

and tomorrow is the day that I go to Kalamazoo with Lindsay to look at bridesmaid dresses.

(Going clockwise, starting in the top left corner)

1)  and 2)  I love these boys.  I got to hang out with them tonight at their dad's football game.  Unfortunately, dad's team lost :(  (I have the distinct honor of being one of the boy on the lefts favorite people...there aren't many who can say that.  He's...choosy.  Love them)

3)  Yeah...that's my mom.  She totally kicks butt and gives school counselors a great name.  Love you mom!!

4)  I have been talking about making a tattle monster all year and then I stumbled across this little gem today.  Once those tissues are gone this little dude will be hearing about all the stuff going on in my room...he's gonna be busy!

5)  I tried a new pizza place today that happened to be located in one of my old favorite bars.  Yummo. It had the most perfectly thin crust and made my tastebuds dance and sing.

6)  I made my best batch of cookies last Saturday.  They were so good that I have thought about them daily this week.

Don't forget to check out Lauren's H54F post over at From My Grey Desk.

I hope you all had a great week...and weekend!!!

Laters, 

Mrs. B

Recent Loves!

I have quite the Pinterest addiction.  I went through a bit of a a massive withdrawal during the first 9 weeks of the school year.

I barely had time to talk to Handsome Husband, let alone spend time on the computer or at the gym.  As the year has gotten easier, I have been able to find some more mindless time to spend on Pinterest.

Here is what I have been crushing on lately...

I L.O.V.E. these rainbow shelves!!!  Who wouldn't LOVE these amazingly beautiful bookshelves!

200 ways to say "went"

Isn't this an A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. chart to have for the word went??  How cool is this????  I love teaching my second graders new words and this gives them a great resource for finding alternative words.

I have always loved kids and have been thinking about things I want to do with my own kids when Handsome Husband and I decide to procreate and fill the earth with our offspring.  Here is an idea that I have been LOVING lately:

How cool is this???

Handsome Husband and I have always been "those people" who usually give books as gifts.  (I say usually because sometimes it's wwwwwaaaayyyyyyy more fun to play with all the toys and decide which one you want to play with when you visit...true story.)

What have you been pinning???

Laters!

Mrs. B

Stupid Phone!

So, I plugged my phone in to sync my photos in order to upload them and...malfunctions.  Gross, dude.

So, no post for tonight and probably not for tomorrow night since it's my second night of parent/teacher conferences.

Have a great couple of days!!

Laters!

Mrs. B

High Five For Friday!

Hooray!!

Friday is here and I am excited!

1)  The first night of parent/teacher conferences began last night and I talked from 8 am to 8 pm yesterday.  I hit "the wall" around one today...my poor kiddos. 

 I end up forgetting their names when that happens.  

It ends up sounding like, "Who can tell me such and such?  Ok...uh...you, whatever your name iiiiissssss...oh!  Right!  Johnny."  Brain farts galore.

2)  I got to hang out with this beautiful little girl tonight...

Jaders...Even Handsome Husband was loving on her.

3)  I got my Scentsy order Thursday.  Handsome Husband couldn't figure out why we needed 3 more for the house.  I love the ambiance they give, but I admit that we are done buying the actual warmers...the bricks...well...

4)  Rocking out on the way home from work...This one's for you Erin!

  

5)  Watching Rock of Ages with Handsome Husband.  My favorite character is the monkey.

"That's right, Hey Man.  Rock will never die!"

Picture from Wikipedia

I hope you all had a great week, too!

Laters,

Mrs. B