JULY...oh my! Currently and Goals

As I scroll through Bloglovin' and see everyone's post titles it seems this year/summer is flying for everyone. We all seem very surprised that it is ALREADY July! And by already, I clearly mean tomorrow. In any case, July's currently and goals.

First, I am linking up with the famous Currently linky hosted by Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade.

Listening to One Tree Hill. When all else fails, this is my pick for background noise. The older episodes were so much better than the last couple of seasons before the finale. 

Loving getting ready to be a 4th grade teacher in my hometown. My wallet is not loving this so much, but I am having so much fun shopping for my new classroom!

Thinking about what I am going to do this week at the reading clinic that I am working at. For the last 2 summers I did this reading clinic at my college as part of my Reading Specialist practicum. This year I was asked to come back...and be PAID! Woohoo! It is only 9:30-12:00 for 5 weeks. This year I have 7 kiddos, most of whom are going into 2nd grade. 

Wanting a full day of sun. I tend to post frequently about the weather/my desire to get to the beach. After getting out of school on Wednesday, I had to spend Thursday and Friday preparing for the reading clinic. Weekend weather has not been the greatest here in Western Mass lately and although it has been hot and humid, they have been predicting showers and thunderstorms on a daily basis. This weather is killing the little bit of tan that I did have. 

Needing to get ready for tomorrow. I have most of my things packed, but we are working at the "homework house," in a rather underprivileged area, so I have to bring most of the supplies I will need/want. So much to think about. 

Tips, tricks, and hints: Do what you love, love what you do. Pretty self-explanatory, no?!

As usual, if you haven't do so yet, click below to link up with one of the best linkies around! :o)

I refuse to go back and read my June goals. I think that I set my "goals" far too high every month and don't achieve them. We'll see how I do this month. Check out Jess's July Goals linky at I {heart} Recess to set your own goals for this month. 

I believe these goals speak for themselves...I don't think I need to add any descriptions. Maybe in August I will be able to tell you about all of the wonderful things that I achieved this month! ::fingers crossed::

Finally, my teacher friend who is the cutest new mom that I know, posted a photo today of my first meeting with Baby Jacob! If you follow me on Instagram you have already seen this cutie pie, but I have to share again! 

Thanks for reading! 

Monday Made It - Getting Ready For Next Year

Today was my last Monday of school! We have a full day tomorrow with an awards assembly in the afternoon and a half day for kiddos/full day for us on Wednesday. It was so ridiculously H-O-T today and I am trying to get everything packed up before I leave on Wednesday so I have been a busy-bee...the heat and humidity is definitely NOT helping.

I am linking up with Tara - 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made-It!!

I am so excited about my new classroom/class/job/school that I am already preparing for next year. When I went on my second interview a couple of weeks ago, the principal mentioned that during their last few days of school, they have move-up day for the whole school. The kiddos get to go to their new classrooms, meet their new teachers, and find out who they will be in class with. I thought this was a great idea because for the last 6 years I was begging for my class list in mid-August to send postcards to my kiddos. Unfortunately, my last day is the same day of school as move-up day at my new school. We decided that I would make a short presentation to share with my kiddos because I wouldn't be able to be there. After panicking over potentially having to video tape myself (YUCK!) I decided to do a short video with a Powerpoint presentation. I cannot believe I am doing this, but if you are interested, here is my presentation that my new team will be sharing with my new kiddos.

I also "made" this fun subway art. I already ordered some of the BW Collection from Creative Teaching Press (my new theme is going to be black and white with bright accent colors) and I decided to do lots of subway art for decorations. These frames are from the dollar store, the fun ribbon is from TJMaxx, and the subway art is from Crystal Dean's Teachers Notebook shop. All I had to do was print the posters and add the ribbon bows with glue dots. But I am so excited to make some more and add them to my new classroom! :o)

Thanks for reading!

BIG News - Part 2 (finally) & Five for SUNday

At the beginning of the month I said that I was "currently thinking about Tuesday." At that time, I wasn't able to share why. I have since posted several times about this NEWS that I wasn't able to share. It is finally time...

Next year I will be teaching a different grade, in a different school, in a different district! I am so, so, SO excited about this! When I graduated from college in 2007, I was very lucky to get a job teaching 3rd grade in a K-5 school. I have remained in the same grade, at the same school ever since (6 years). It was a great 6 years, I was offered some really amazing opportunities, met wonderful people who I will most definitely keep in touch with, and taught some great kiddos. I love my job, I love third grade...but I started feeling like it was time for a change. Long story short, after a couple of stressful weeks and 2 interviews, I am now a 4th grade teacher at a K-4 school in my hometown. This school is 5 minutes from my house! I am very excited about this very short commute. :o)

We have two and a half more days with our kiddos this week and I can already tell that this is going to be an emotional week (or half-week). It will be hard to say goodbye to my class, but it is going to kill me to say goodbye to some of the 2nd graders (siblings of kiddos I have taught) that would have been in my class next year.

This week I was able to meet with the other two 4th grade teachers that I will be working with next year and I got to see my classroom! I cannot wait to start decorating...I'm going to be wishing my summer away waiting to get in and decorate/rearrange in August. I have lots to do to get ready for a new grade though, so hopefully the summer doesn't go by too quickly!

So that's all for my news for now...I am now a 4th grade teacher! (If anyone has any 4th grade advice, please share! :o)

A quick Five for Friday on Sunday -

1. Monday was Junior Achievement Day at our school. Local business people come into our classrooms for the day and teach the students about business, government, the economy, etc. A local bank donated some "hard hats" that the kiddos were pretty excited about!

2. On Wednesday, we went on a whole-school field trip to a local park. The kiddos get to play on the playground and spray park, go miniature golfing, walk through the zoo, play some games with the P.E. teacher and have a cook-out. It was the nicest day of all the 6 years I have been going, the weather was beautiful!

3. After our field trip, I visited my new classroom. Here are some of the photos I took to begin thinking about my own arrangement/decorations. 

4. On Thursday we walked to our local Dairy Queen for a free ice cream cone and then had a small celebration in honor of my student teacher/para. 

5. Finally, on Friday we had Fun Day and spent the morning outside and the afternoon watching "Where the Wild Things Are."

Thanks so much for reading! :o)

News - Part 1

Drum roll please...

Look at my lovely new blog design! I am soooooo excited about it! Thanks to Lisa for the amazing design. I found this pre made design in her Etsy shop iCelebration Custom Designs and Lisa fixed it up a little just for me. I am absolutely in love with this and I keep coming back and looking at it. Lisa has other blog and Facebook templates along with some really great download and print items. Check out her shop, you'll love it! 

I also won an amazing giveaway! Ash had a 500 follower giveaway (500 followers...I cannot even imagine!) for her blog The Polished Teacher. I won the 3-6 Winner's Choice pack, so I get to choose goodies from Collaboration Cuties, Looking From 3rd to 4th, I'm Loving Lit, and Fab and Fun in 4th. When I complete this post, you can bet-your-bottom-dollar, that I am heading over to do my "shopping." Thanks Ash and all of the lovely ladies who contributed! :o)

We are finally down to six and a half days of school. On Wednesday, we will go on our whole-school field trip to Look Park. On this field trip our kiddos get to use the playground, spray park, play mini golf, visit a small zoo, and have a cook-out. It sounds so much better here than when we are actually there. There are A LOT of kids and not a lot of room, but the weather looks beautiful for the first time in years, so it won't be bad! On Thursday, we take a short walk to our local Dairy Queen where the kiddos get a free ice cream cone. And on Friday, we have Fun Day in the morning and a movie in the afternoon. It is going to be one very hectic week. 

Finally, I am linking up with Tara 4th Grade Frolics for Made It Monday! 

I have so much to share today, too. 

First, I found these Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies on Pinterest (of course) and they are to-die-for. The first time I made them, I used the M&M's, they were good. I have since made they several times without the M&M's and gotten rave reviews! 

I also fancied up my iPhone with the CocoPPa app after seeing all the Instagram hype. I love it! 

I used paint pens to personalize these water bottles that I picked up at the Dollar Tree for my kiddos' end-of-school gifts. 

Last but not least, as our last days of school are FINALLY here, it is time to celebrate my dear friend/para/student teacher. I will follow-up with another post about all of the goodies that the kiddos and I will be giving her at her "party" but I just finished making this clipboard and I am so excited about how it turned out. I made several for my classroom last summer, but this one has her name on it and everything!

                                                            

If you are still reading, THANK YOU! Also, this post is titled "News - Part 1." There will be a part 2, hopefully in the next couple of days, because I have some seriously exciting news, it just isn't quite official enough to share yet. I have been dying to share this news for a couple of weeks now, hopefully this week will be it! 

Thanks for reading! :o)

Favorite Things * Morning Must Haves

I promise, in 12 days, I will become a good blogger. 12 more days of school, 12 more days of craziness. It has been a week since I posted that I may have some news to share, I still do not have this news and I am NOT a patient person so it is killing me. So here goes a completely non-educational post, but I wanted to link up with Halle at Across the Hall in 2nd Grade for her super cute These are a few of my favorite things linky before it's time for the next one (Thursday). The topic of this linky is Morning Must Haves:

1. I must have coffee...usually one cup at home and one cup at school. My all-time favorite K-Cup is Golden French Toast...I will drink it anytime, anywhere. 

  

2. Next, I cannot function properly without the correct products to tame my curly hair. 

3. Finally, my make-up...I never leave home without my face on! 

I said completely non-educational, but I do have a couple of school-related pictures. On Thursday, we had a retirement party one of my favorite coworkers who is retiring after teaching 4th grade for 43 years. Yes, you read that correctly, 43 years. Here is one of her fellow 4th grade teachers/daughter-she-never-had/my best teacher friend, giving a FABULOUS speech at the party. 

Next, as I said, we are finally down to twelve days. Next week is jam-packed with field trips and field day and all kinds of end-of-the-year fun. That means that this week is pretty much my last teaching week. We are working on multi-digit multiplication in math and the kiddos are LOVING it! They are now teaching each other and it is going so well! 

Now, if you haven't done so yet, hurry up and link up with Halle before it's time for the next linky topic! 

JUNE: Currently and Goals

Happy June, Friends! We are down to 18 more days of school...we're getting there, slowly but surely. Before I get to my June linkys, I have to share some exciting news! A couple of weeks ago I blogged about how my teaching buddy was expecting and that we were so hoping she would have the baby over the weekend. Well, she did not and Friday was her last day of school before her maternity leave, as her due date was yesterday, June 1st! The last couple of weeks we have had some nasty, hot and humid days, and she was a trooper, working right up to the end! I am happy to announce that she and her husband welcomed their little man into the world yesterday, on his due date! I cannot wait to meet this little cutie pie! :o)

Now, onto Farley's June currently...one of my faves!

LISTENING: The weather here in New England has been crazy. Last weekend, at this time, I was bundled up in winter pj's and slippers...today we have the AC on because it is already hot and humid at 7:00 am. Whatever happened to spring? Although, I am very grateful that we are having this weather and not tornados. My heart breaks for everyone affected by the Oklahoma weather. 

LOVING: There are some K-Cup flavors (pumpkin spice) that I can only drink in the fall/winter. French Toast is a winter limited edition, but I found some the other day at the Bon-Ton and they are always delicious!

THINKING: This one is a bit of a teaser, as I won't post yet why I am thinking about Tuesday. It is school/career related, but I will leave it at that. Hopefully I will be able to post on this soon. Tuesday is also the estimated arrival date of my Erin Condren teacher planner...woohoo!!

WANTING: June 26th is our last day of school. It seems like it is still a lifetime away. I know it will go by quickly because there are so many meetings, field trips, events, etc. but it is such a hectic/stressful time of year. 

NEEDING: I have been posting about the beach since I started blogging and although I got to put my feet in the sand on a chilly day a couple of weeks ago, I still have not made it there on a nice summer day. 

Speaking of the beach, a perfect beach day is with my iced coffee in one hand and a book in the other. And of course I need my phone, mostly for picture taking purposes. 

If you haven't done so yet, click the picture below to link up with Farley's FUN linky!

Another favorite linky of mine is Jess's Monthly Goals. Check it out at I {heart} Recess. 

I have to be honest and say I was terrible with my May goals. Hopefully I will do better in June. 

PERSONAL: Although my summer doesn't begin until June 26th, I hope to make more time for fun outside of school this month. 

FAMILY: I live at home with my mom and younger brother still and my poor mother does most of the cooking. I bake, but I rarely cook. I must cook!

HEALTH: I tried the gym goal last month and that didn't go well, so I will try to eat healthier. 

SCHOOL: I haven't begun to pack up my classroom yet, as we still have 3 and a half weeks, but I have been trying to clean-up, purge, and reorganize. 

BLOG/TPT: I have been lucky if I blog once a week, so I need to do better with that. I also need to grow my very itty-bitty TPT store. 

READ: I have started reading Choice Words by Peter Johnston. An incredible professor that I had for several classes, recommended this book. So far it is wonderful. It is a short book, but a great refresher. For a fun read, I just picked up Home Front by Kristin Hannah. I have read most of her books and I love them all! 

Again, if you haven't do so yet, click on the picture below to link up with Jess.