WoW, it's been a while......and my Liebster Blog Award

Good Morning everyone in BloggerLand! 

I should apologize for how long it has been since I last posted, but I don't want this to be a confessional!  Ha!  There is only one reason, and that is called Life!  Anyone know what I am talking about?  Being a Mom of an 8 year old, means my 'taxi' is always active!  If we haven't been on vacation (Outer Banks and visiting my parents in TN), then it has been back and forth from baseball camp, tae kwon do, baseball clinic, Summer Blast, etc.....I believe you get the picture!!

We did go to Safari Park in VA near Roanoke/Natural Bridge area.  If you live in the area, this is a MUST for kids and adults.  They have a walk thru area to see animals, AND you can drive on a 3 mile road and feed the animals that come up to your car.  I was hesitant, but it was awesome.  It seems a bit costly, but what an adventure!!  See the pics below to understand better what I am talking about.  You can check them out here  Safari Park  . I know some of the pics from my camera say year 2012, but it was this year!  I guess after I charged the battery, I put the wrong date in....sigh!

Okay, on to other things.  Beginning a new grade level last year took it's toll on my blogging time/ability.  I was busy finding new things for a new curriculum.  I hope this year will be different!

 In saying that, I want to thank Meesabelle from First Grade Frame of Mind for giving me the Liebster Blog Award.

Here is some background about the award:

Liebster Award: Given to blogs with less than 200 followers and passed from Blogger to Blogger, each hand picked by the previous recipient. It originated in Germany and means dearest or beloved, and Liebe is the word for love. 

Here are the rules to accepting the award:

• Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.

• Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you.

• Copy and paste the blog award on your blog.

• Present the Liebster Blog Award to blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed.

• Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment at their blog.

Okay, this was a long post, and I have to find blogs deserving of the Liebster Blog Award!!

That's it for now!

Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary

What a Tragedy.....

How heavy my heart is today.   The first thing, among all of the thoughts running through my head was, "Oh my God, I can't wait to get home and hug my son!"  What does a Mom/teacher do in a time like this.....I can not even imagine the heartbreak those families are going through, nor do I ever want to know!  My heart bleeds for all families involved.  The internet is full of people talking gun control, mental health, etc.  Where does one start to insure our children are safe when they go to school?  I know, at my school, we have all been trained for tragedies like this, but who is to say it would go as planned?  

It is a sad day......I am glad I still have my son to hug, love, get mad at, or whatever.......

Second Grade Common Core Workbook

Well, it has been over a week since my last post.  Ha!  I sound like I am in a confessional!  Now on to my reason for posting today......

The Second Grade Common Core Workbook is now available!!!  It includes over 575 resources for Language Arts and Math in one book!  There are activity centers, posters, and worksheets that teach all the common core standards for 2nd grade all in one place!   Click the link (or picture) above to access the page where you can buy your own!  Check it out!!!

I promise I am still around....

Well, it has been a real busy first 8 weeks of school.  I am still around, but do not have any time for blogging.  I am lucky to visit my favorite blogs once a week!  Going from 5th to 2nd has been a real eyeopener!  I teach constantly...from 8-2:30....barely getting a chance to use the bathroom at lunch.  My kids are so dependent, but I am trying to break them of that!  I think I am finally getting the hang of this whole language arts block, literacy stations, reading groups, PALS, etc.  I am beginning to feel a little more comfortable.  I do love the little kids tho!  We had a fundraiser at Chuck E Cheese tonight, and one of my kids saw me, ran up, put his arms around my belly and screamed my name.  Now, my fifth graders NEVER did that! hahaha 

I hope this lasts forever!  Have a great week, bloggers!  I can't guarantee when I will be back, but hopefully things will slow down soon!!!

WoW! What was I thinking???

Oh my....what was I thinking?  I know what I was thinking.....I DO NOT want to go back to the classroom, and I definitely DID NOT want to go back to the smart mouthed 5th graders at our school.  So....with no choice in the matter, because funds ran out, I am now back in the classroom....going from 5th to 2nd.  Talk about a mind boggler!  I thought I would really enjoy the younger grades after being in all grade levels as Math Coach.  It is quite different having your own classroom of them....especially at the beginning of the year.  Do their ears not work?  Do most of them understand the English coming out of my mouth?  (I do have ESL and one non-English speaker).  I also have 2 kids that cry alot.  I made up my mind last week, that I wouldn't take the 5th grade Mrs. Bishop in there and scare the bejesus out of them!  So I went in and tried to be nice.....and I knew after 24 years of teaching, you never smile the first week!  Needless to say, I took the 5th grade Mrs. Bishop in the following day!  It has been a rough first 2 weeks!  Not only getting to know a WHOLE different curriculum, BUT there was NO schedule......I HAVE to have a schedule!  ESL teacher wanting to pull out during my reading time for 40 minutes 5 days a week?!  Then all my specials are at different times!  I have been lost, not eating, or sleeping.....I guess the good is that I have lost 7 lbs.....that is always good!  With young ones, you spend most of your lunch time supervising them thru the lunch line, making sure they know their number, etc.  In 5th, you go on and eat your lunch!  *sigh*

So my eyes have been opened!  I don't really think it is the age group tho.....I think it is I got way too comfortable of being OUT of the classroom, loving my job, and now I have been thrown back IN to the classroom.

It is beginning to settle down a bit, but at the sacrifice of my boys.  I am staying late hours, getting to work early, and still not able to get it all done.  I have to take multiple things home to work on.  It is a work in progress, but I believe it will work.....it kinda has to!

So sorry for not posting in a month.....I have had other obligations!

Ta Ta for now....time to get ready for another day with my 2nd graders!

Have Fun Teaching (A fantastic website)!!!

WoW!!!  I just found a fantastic website with anything and everything you need for activities and lessons in your classroom!!  I am still amazed at what all this site offers and it is FREE!!!!!  The site is Have Fun Teaching.  It has a blog, Pinterest page, and a FB page.  Please take the time to check all these out!  You won't be sorry. 

I have still been working in my room, wondering if I will ever get done!!!  Teachers return the 27th of Aug., and school begins Tuesday after Labor Day.  I have been to school for the past 4 weeks working in my room.  I did finally get my calendar up.  I borrowed the idea from The Lesson Plan Diva.  She has it for sale for $8.50, but I made my own using her idea.  Several people at school are already jealous and wanting to use mine! hahaha  It took a long time to make, and I can see why she charges $8.50 for it!

Anyway, check out the website above.  I am still flabbergasted at what all is offered!

Happy Back to School,