Morning Must Haves (School Days)

Halle at Across the Hall in 2nd Grade is hosting a fun linky this week - Morning Must Haves!
***I seem to be having trouble linking up, so I will try again later to make it official. 

I've enjoyed reading about the morning must-haves of others, so I thought I'd share mine. Though I will be revealing a lot of my "quirks." Here goes:



During the school year, I usually start my day with a workout. I roll out of bed at 4:45 and get right to it. This last year, Kristi got me hooked on these 10 Minute Solution videos. I love them because they each come with 5 ten minute workouts and you can create your own personalized workout. I also like that they have different trainers, so I don't get sick of them as quickly. The one pictured is my *favorite* ab workout ever!
 

 

Next up, shower, and I "must have" this normalizing shampoo. My hair is very oily - yuck - and this stuff really helps. My sister is a licensed (not practicing anymore) beautician and can get me really good deals. :-)

After my shower, I settle in for some quiet time with Lord. I chose this tattered Bible picture because mine is starting to look that way, but I don't want to get a new one and lose all my notes and highlights! I like the saying, "The Bible is meant to be bread for daily use, not cake for special occasions."

 

After my quiet time, I use my Ninja to make the homemade "coffee drink" that I'm completely addicted to... My kids just love waking up to the sound of the Ninja chopping ice. Ha! The blender was a gift last Christmas and I do use it every day! By the way, if you like Mocha Frappacinos, try this:

1 heaping tablespoon of sugar (I know, I know...)
1 heaping tablespoon of cocoa
6-8 oz. hot coffee (depends on how strong you like it)
Splash of milk (or more if you like)
Ice

This is my breakfast of choice lately...it is delicious and helps with a certain "issue." I'll let you figure that one out. :-)

After breakfast, I start the mad rush to get ready! Like my hair, my skin is super oily. When I first started teaching (4 years ago), I had never found a make-up that would stay on my face very long...it would just slide off. At the end of a busy day, after sending the kiddos off and talking to parents and coworkers, I would go to the restroom and look in the mirror and think, "How long have I looked like that?" My sister-in-law introduced me to MAC... I use Prep and Prime with the studio-fix foundation. It stays put, but now I notice it settling into my wrinkles (ugh). Hmmm...maybe they have another option for me. Oh, and by the way, don't let that Prep and Prime bottle fool you. When it won't pump, I pry the lid off with a screw driver and get at least another week's worth of primer. :-)

Chi flat iron - no explanation needed. :-)



Flat, thin hair meets Powder Play. I sprinkle this on my roots where I need some more volume after styling. Throughout the day, you can "pump up" the volume again by rubbing where you put it...not sure that explains it well, but if your hair needs some "ummph," I'd recommend it.

Well, that was plenty long--and revealing! If you're still with me, I hope you have a great weekend.

The pool is looking clear...now if only the weather would heat up a bit more...

Crystal

Awesome Teacher Binder!

Toward the end of this school year, I began seeing all these "teacher binders" all over Pinterest and blogland. I decided to try it for next year. I love my home management binder and use it to stay organized here at home, so I knew I just had to have a teacher binder too.

The search began...

I found some really cute ones right away--but with a hefty price tag!

I decided I could make my own.

Then I decided my time was worth something and decided to look again.

Yesterday, I stumbled on this and couldn't have been more excited.

 

I can't even explain all the goodies included in this set! I will tell you that it has pretty much any page you might want to include in your own binder. She has a less color option available and an editable one (different background), too! I chose the one above because I liked the chevron and figured I could work with the pages it came with (A LOT -- 103 pages). Oh, and, she will update the file each year and you can download it again! All for only $5.50! Hooray!!! I can't wait to put this thing together!

 

It comes from Bridget at Little Lovely Leaders, who happens to have some freebies related to the 7 Habits of Happy Kids (another thing I'm looking into for next year). If you haven't checked out her blog, hop on over to:

I told myself I would not go to the school this week, but I know I have some empty binders over there...

Hmmm...

Maybe I could just go, grab a binder, and come right back... That is the benefit of living so close. :-)

Crystal

P.S. I got a juror questionnaire thingy in the mail again. Really??? I have been summoned 3-4 times in my adult life, and my husband has never even had to fill out the questionnaire!

June Currently and Monday Made-It!

So I'm linking up with Farley's Currently...I think I'm 340 something so maybe a little late, but oh well, the fun is in sharing. :-)

 

Birds chirping...unlike my husband, I don't mind sitting in the living room with the TV turned off and just listening to nature sounds. Although, the city is testing the tornado siren and it keeps interrupting the birds singing.

 

Stay home ALL day...hooray! I live in the country and just love those days when I don't have to go to town. My friends worry that I will become a hermit when I start teaching in this rural community next year.

 

Math curriculum...Saxon...different than Everyday Math so I have some studying to do. Well, that and I'm moving from 1st to 2nd grade.

 

Pool...uncovered it on Saturday...green=lots of work to do! :-(

 

Packing...My husband and I help in the youth department at our church. We are headed to Silver State Baptist Youth Camp in CO soon. I need to be packing now to make sure I have enough clothes!

 

Vacay Essentials...well, you can see they are all centered around spending time in my pool. I must have a pool float because I rarely actually swim (according to my kiddos). I must buy a new swimsuit this year because our neighbor cut down my privacy fence some trees. I won't even describe the condition of my old suit or admit what I would wear out to the pool last year! And I have to have sunglasses because my eyes are super-sensitive to light.

 

Okay, on to Monday Made-It! This was one of my favorite bloggy linky things last summer, and I just couldn't wait to jump right in!

 

 

I  spent last week in my new classroom. First cleaning (click here for pics) and then I started painting. I painted the shelves and the bulletin boards black.

 

As I painted, I became really disgusted by the yellowish counter tops and decided there had to be a solution.

 

Where did I turn?

 

Blog land, of course. I stumbled on Ladybug's Teacher Files classroom and design organization page. There I saw contact paper on desks and tables...so why not counters?

 

Check it out:

 

The picture just doesn't show the "ickiness" of the before counter, but believe me it needed something! I found this black and gray speckled contact paper at Wal-Mart and it goes perfectly with my black shelves.

I love it! Now, I'm in the middle of creating a "Teacher Toolbox" so I better get back to it. Maybe I'll be able to show you that for next week!

Have a blessed day!

Crystal

Here's a Peek at my New Classroom...

So after checking out on Friday, I rushed out of my old school before I cried TOO much and made a fool of myself. I am horrible at "good-byes" though I informed Kristi it was not a "good-bye" for us, but a change in relationship. She truly has become one of my best friends these last few years.

Anyway, I went straight to my new classroom. I had a goal in mind...THROW AWAY a lot of stuff. Ha!

 

No, really. I want to paint the shelves and bulletin boards before I "move in." The shelves were all PACKED with stuff. You would not believe it...should have taken before pictures. Why do I always forget that?

 

I don't remember if I told you that this school I'm going to is where I went to elementary school--many years ago. I actually found things that we used back then! Teacher resource books labeled with my 1st-2nd grade teacher's name (who has been retired for many years). I even found a teacher resource book from 1976--and no, I was not in school then. I wasn't even born yet!

 

That first day I got this entire wall of shelves cleaned off. The best part...when I got tired, I was home in ONE minute. Did you catch that? ONE minute--as opposed to THIRTY. That was one of the BIG reasons that I took this position!

 



What do you think of this awkward space? I'm thinking reading nook...



Then I went back Saturday to finish these two smaller ones and take down the bulletin board "stuff" so everything would be ready to paint.

 

 

 

I  really wish I could fast forward to the moving in and organizing part. Speaking of organizing - have you checked out:

GENIUS!!!!! I spent who knows how long checking out 40+ blogs the other day for organization tips. I'm sure more have linked up, so I will have to go back for more!

 

Here's a picture of all my "stuff" right now...tucked away in the lunchroom...just waiting to be organized. :-) The janitor has already teased me about needing to build an addition onto my room. LOL!

 

I did find some cool stuff on those shelves. Here's a few of my finds:

 

Math Border - This will look awesome on my future black bulletin board to use with "The Meeting" (Saxon Math).

Buzzers! They really work and each have a different tone...I see some quiz games in my future.

CDs - Christmas songs, movement songs, and Shel Silverstein, yes please!

Anyway, maybe that linky will still be open when I get to start putting my room together!

 

Have a blessed day!

Crystal

 

P.S. When editing this post, I deleted the word "actually" three times. Hmmm...must be my new favorite word. Do you ever catch yourself doing that when you write? ;-)



Moving Forward and Bucket List

So I won't talk much about this issue because it makes me sad.  Most of you know that Crystal took another position for next year.  We finished up our school year and on Friday the staff gave her a gift and our wonderful music teacher prepared a song about her using some ideas that I gave him.  Well, the song was supposed to be funny (and it was) but we all ended up crying by the end of it.  I will miss her a lot, but we have become great friends and will remain in contact and of course continue our blog together! 

 

We have linked up with some bloggy friends, First Grade at Last, A Cupcake for the Teacher, Miss Kindergarten, and A Modern Teacher to share a summer bucket list: Join us and share your bucket list for the summer as well!

 

 

http://www.miss-kindergarten.com/2013/05/my-summer-bucket-list-linky-party.html

 

1.  SLEEP

 

2.  Check out this neat way of arranging desks in the room.  I found it on pinterest and plan on spending some time thinking of how I will arrange my room and what materials I will need for it. 

 

 

http://pinterest.com/pin/244320348507431849/

 

 3.  Hmmmm......I have been thinking awhile about making these for my groups.  We will see....
 

http://pinterest.com/pin/148970700144167236/

4.  Visit friends in Denver, Colorado

 

 

5.  Cat Sit.......My mother has a rescue for cats and has many cats that she takes in and adopts out to good homes......want to adopt one LOL!  Anyways, every summer she thinks she needs a vacation for some reason :-) and I get to go help take care of these cats for about a week......after a day of it I am usually extremely tired.  I don't know how she does it but she does and she does a great job with it!  Those cats are spoiled beyond belief!!

This is me after a day of helping with all the cats!!  LOL!

 

6.  I have a lot of home improvement/crafts that I would love to do this summer.  I always do have a lot that I want to do, but don't seem to get many of them done.  But, this is one that I would like to accomplish this summer if possible.  Found this on pinterest and thought it would be great to do in our unfinished basement.  (Pinterest is wonderful!) 

 

http://pinterest.com/pin/244320348507307955/

 

Hope you join us in the linky party....love to hear what your bucket list is for this summer! 

 

Have a great week and a huge thank you to all of our soldiers!  Kristi

 

 

Proud Mom - Had to Share

Okay, here's the video I was trying to upload yesterday. This is my daughter at her last school talent show...they have one for the 3rd - 6th grades. I can't believe she will be in middle school next year! She actually turns 12 tomorrow. :-)

Anyway, I'm very proud of her. Each year she chooses to practice and sing a song about the Lord. This year the song is called "My Hope is in the Lord." I didn't get to go, but I threatened her brother that he better video it given the opportunity. He was too embarrassed to go up front so you could actually see her, but you can definitely hear her. :-)

 

Of course, I think she is great!

Crystal

3 More Days and AR Competition Winds Down!

 

I can't believe we only have 3 more days of school!

 

That means next Friday I will be leaving my classroom and school for the last time. :-(

I'm feeling sad and excited all at the same time.

 

I have keys to my new classroom and school already. They were done on Thursday. It was really hard to get up and go to work Friday when my own kids were still in bed snoozing. I just keep thinking that next year, we will have the same calendar! That will be so awesome!

 

About my new classroom, I just took some of my things up there and looked around. Then I came home and took a nap! LOL!

 

It is too overwhelming right now to think of all that I need to do...

 

Anyway, the AR competition has come to an end--which is a good thing. Kristi and I are both extremely competitive. The library closed on Wednesday, but we each asked for a basket of books so the classes could keep reading. I even pulled some leveled readers from earlier in the year to keep them earning points. We had told the kids we would have a party if we made it to 1000 points (between the two classes) in the last nine weeks.

 

On Thursday, we knew we would not make the goal so Kristi and I started taking tests too. I took a test on The Hunger Games (which I had read last year) and some of the half point books pictured below.

 

 

At the end of the day, I had 27 points. Kristi had 5.

 

Would you believe she bribed (with Coca Cola) another teacher friend to take a Harry Potter test under her name?

 

So I came back the next day and took tests on Catching Fire and Mockingjay and earned another 25 points (I got a 60% on one of them--oops--guess that is why you shouldn't wait a year to test on a book).

 

Like I said we are really competitive! :-)

 

As it turned out, the classes tied and we made the 1000 points so we have a float party planned for next week. Hooray!

 

Well, I wanted to leave you with a video of my daughter singing in her school talent show, but I'm still working on getting it uploaded. Maybe tomorrow...this proud mom has to share. :-)

 

Have a blessed weekend!

Crystal