Freebie Friday

 

I'm linking up with the teaching blog addict for freebie Friday. Here's a link to a freebie from my teacher pay teacher store 4th Grade Funky Town. 

 

This freebie is a popular download for teachers who teach any grade. It includes all 55 essential rules from the Ron Clark Academy. If you haven't read the book or toured the school I HIGHLY recommend going for a visit. If you don't live close run out and buy the book now. Go here and buy it:

 

I read it this summer at the beach and I was very impressed and inspired. Don't forget to visit the teaching blog addict freebie Friday link above to enjoy a variety of products from fellow bloggers. 

14 in 14

It is hard to narrow down a favorite quote, so I am going with a favorite quote and a favorite bible verse. 

Hmm, now this one may be harder than the first. I love fashion and anything that has to do with clothing, my closet is secretly screaming HELP ME. Today I'll say my favorite article of clothing is my new wedge bootie toms. 

By the way, if you haven't tried these they are fabulous. They are the most comfortable shoes with a heel to teach in. 

I know what your thinking ugh that is an old movie. You don't understand my best friend and I growing up watched this every weekend and can still to this day quote it. 

I have been a faithful supporter of the series 19 Kids and Counting since the Duggar's first aired many, many years ago. I think the family stands for what they believe in and I respect that. 

I mean who doesn't love a slice of cheesecake to go with the most amazing meal ever. Well here is where I have never had a bad experience and would choose to eat her more often if I lived closer to one. 

My fiance and I just reccently within the past year have gotten completely addicted to sushi. Any shape, size, flavor, restaurant, you name it we will try it and most likely love it. 

I would have to say my engagement ring that I received in July. The ring is exactly what I wanted and Wes couldn't have picked out anything more beautiful. The center stone is his grandmother's which hold such a sentimental value to the both of us. 

Oh geez now how do I narrow this down.... I guess I would say this barn door headboard. My wonderful craftsman father made this for me. 

It is probably this post of our engagement pictures. We just went to view them a week ago and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the photos. It excites me to see how good out wedding pictures will be in June. 

This would probably be gaining my Master's of Arts in Elementary Education. I didn't come by teaching the traditional way. My undergraduate degree is in Interior Design, so I made a complete life change when I decided to enroll at Liberty University and complete my Master's. 

I hate to keep brining up our relationship, but my favorite memeory would be our first date to a tacky Christmas sweater party. Wes was wearing a Griswold family christmas t-shirt and it was quite a first day. I wouldn't change it for the world. 

My goal for this year is to be more proactive about being healthy, working out more and being fit. 

Blessed. The definition is to be holy of sacred. I think of it as more of a blessing. Bless those who persecute you and bless those who curse you. Romans 12:14. Now that is a challenge and I think I need to more mindful of blessing others whether they deserve it or not. 

That Last Week of Mayhem

Ok so I FINALLY made it to the end of the week before Christmas break. Phew! The last week before a break seems to be the most grueling week of a teacher's existence. We had a great week surprisingly even though my students seem to have forgotten how to do math problems. Geez. Nonsense I tell you. This week we had a blast. I have the most wonderful aunt and mother a teacher could ask for. First off, my aunt comes daily to help me out in math and reading. Kudos for her to put up with fourth graders for free :) My aunt and mother made gingerbread cookies for my class and brought icing and red hots to decorate with. Below are some pictorials:

That would be my lovely mother in the background. 

During our decorating we had a "guest" British accent student from my class do our read-aloud. The Gingerbread Baby. She did a superb job. Look here:

Yesterday before our Christmas party we completed our Pay it Forward for the season. Our fourth grade team decided to take our gift cards that were donated to us (from McKay's books) and we spent them on books for the children at TC Thompson's Children's Hospital in Chattanooga, TN. My kids also brought in books to donate that were gently used. My students wrapped all the presents and even made cards to go on each. The whole point was that my kids would see the reason for the season is more about giving than receiving.

They also purchased goodies to go inside stocking for the kids and my dad helped them deliver the sack of goodies. My aunt and mother also cooked a nice Christmas lunch for the students for out half day yesterday. They had chicken and dressing, macaroni, mashed potatoes, and rolls (oh let's not forget the red velvet cake). After we were stuffed, we sent the kids on their merry way.

Engagement Photos

Ok, so Wes and I had our professional engagement photos made the Monday before Thanksgiving. We went this past Wednesday to our viewing. They were phenomenal, we chose an awesome photographer (who is a guy I grew up around and our families know one another). I thought knowing a photographer makes the pictures more engaging and dynamic. Here are a few to share with you all. Enjoy!

Author Visit

Today by happenstance, an author decided that she wanted to stay longer at our school and she was able to visit with more than just our primary grade level. Wowzers she was amazing. Her name is Julia Cook, and from what I learned, she is from Nebraska. She came to our school to share with roughly 800+ kiddos about her becoming a well known author. Some author visits that we have are so-so, but this lady was entertaining.

This is a picture she uploaded on her FB page of a few of our first grade teachers, the media specialist, and our school counselor. *Note the precious fur baby she has with her. Her name is Kirby. Presh!

She began by telling the students about how she was a school counselor and how she was constantly putting out fires in her office regarding respect, friendship, and every other issue that is brought to our attention on a daily basis. Yeah yeah so what we all deal with student issues yes I know, I deal with them to, but to create stories to help kids relate is an awesome way to channel her energy and frustration.

The first story she read to us was about expelling gas (yes quite the conversation for 3rd-5th graders). They love to discuss and preform bodily functions on a daily basis. I mean where do you think I came up with the name 4th Grad Funky Town. She called up our one male 5th grade teacher to perform burps aloud and another 5th grade teacher to squeeze a whoopee cushion for flatulent noise. They were quite the dramatic duo. Below is a picture of her book Gas Happens. Go and check it out.

She next shared a really important book and lesson about children getting kidnapped. She referred to it as getting scooped up. She had contacted John Walsh from the show America's Most Wanted and discussed with him the importance of her getting accurate information kids about kidnapping. Have you ever used or heard of using code words for your kid? Well according to John Walsh that is dangerous to use with your kids or students. He said by the time you talk to the stranger and discuss the code word you have opened too many lines of communication and your changes of getting taken are 90% at this point. With that being said don't use code words with your kids of students. She wrote the book Smarter than the Scoopers. She discussed who "safe people" are and how to trust certain people who talk to you and not others. 

That story has a valuable lesson that our students learned today including that kidnappers use things to entice kids to come with them including animals especially dogs. She then pulls out her teacup Chihuahua Kirby that was all 2 pounds of preciousness. She discussed how scoopers (as she called them) get cute animals and ask kids to help them with their dogs and in a flash the kid is scooped up and is never heard from again. I thought wow what a valuable lesson and a great use of a visual, actually bringing her dog to show. With all that being said I thought to myself, I need to try and write a children's book about the adventures my dogs have. Yes I am crazy, but I thought how fun would that be and kids love dogs right?!

With all that being said please go and visit Julia Cook's website and shop around. Her books are fabulous.