Need Something to Read?

I'm going to be truthful. I'm in a reading SLUMP! I need some amazing books to get my eyes scanning pages again. The last three books I've read- meh. Nothing to get excited over. And I love books! I want to love books and have that love for books be as known as Donalyn Miller!

I had the pleasure of meeting her a few years ago and the woman is amazing! She OOZES a love for reading! She knows more about books than anyone I've ever met! So... this little presentation came at a perfect time for me!  I've started a new list of books. The last book she recommended to me was The One and Only Ivan. I could not put it down! If one of these are as good as that, I believe my reading SLUMP will be O-V-E-R!

Bring on the Books!



Leave me a comment! Have you read any of these? Which one should I read first? Now as Debbie Miller says, Happy Reading!

Fluency Fun on Friday

I had my last training in DCPS for teachers yesterday! Sadly, my job this year took me away from direct interaction with teachers and that has been sad for many reasons. One of the best things about teaching teachers is learning FROM THEM! For example, a teacher shared a new website with me so I am sharing it with you.

Have you visited www.thebestclass.org? If not... add it to your to-do list, your bookmarks, and if you are SUPER COOL, your DIIGO.  I especially like the tab for Reader's Theatre scripts. In DC, we use Work Stations with fidelity and Station is focused on Fluency. This is a file- print kind of website and all a teacher needs is a stapler and maybe a highlighter if he/she wants to get fancy and highlight different parts through each script!

Being as today is my last day of full time employment for a few months (like 5) I am hopeful to do a little more blogging than I have in months past! This DC work was HARD! And most nights I was so TIRED!   But, after I get moved (Lord help me) and after I get unpacked (OMG that's the WORST) I will be back online with amazing blog posts that will knock your socks off (or at least I will try).

Made it Monday

So I'm linking up with 4th Grade Frolics... I know Made it Monday's is more of a SUMMER thing, but when I make it, I'm going to blog about it! :)

So I'm pretty excited at my new house (or is it my old house) to be a little more of a decorating diva. All that stuff I've pinned, I want to DO something with it! My first plan is to make THIS....

I have an office at my house in Texas. And in that office I have a big closet that it my scrapbooking closet! In years past it is the kind of closet you must keep the door of closed! NOT ANYMORE! The doors are coming off and I'm making it snazzy! I plan to paint the back of the closet- a green color because I already have the most awesome curtains and rod!  Aren't these the COOLEST curtains?! 

But I digress- because I'm so stinking excited to make this closet sanctuary. So what did you make already Mel? When I moved into this rental house in Virginia, I spotted these boxes! 

They are press board boxes holding all kinds of basement JUNK! They are just screaming to be made CUTE! I reached out to my landlord and asked if she knew they were down there and if she would let me have them!? And she said YES! So- since time is running down I had to get on it! So today (OK- actually LAST Monday) I made it! 

And here they are! The colors are a little off in this picture.... but take my word for it- they are CUH-UTE! 

They will hold my scrapbook goodies- but most of all they will just look stylish right? You don't have to comment. You don't have to tell me that you love them! BUT- when I post my completed scrapbook closet- I hope you'll comment then and tell me how awesome it is! 

While I'm already doing a post that has NOTHING to do with education- I'll post a few other decorating ideas I have for the new/old house. 

  

Now I've done it- I think I'll spend the next two hours of my snow day on Pinterest- searching for decorating ideas I'll never actually do! :)

Cheers!

Dr. Seuss

Today on my blog I want to give a SHOUT OUT! Head over to Technology Rocks and see her collection of all things Seuss! I loved March is reading Month in my classroom and one year we spent the whole month reading and celebrating the works of Dr. Seuss. I hope it's not too late for you to be able to use some of these goodies in your classroom.

FUN and FREE! What are you waiting for? Thanks to Shannon for putting all these goodies in one place for us!

Currently March

It's March! Praise the LORD it's March! It's time to move March! It's time to get this party started March! It's finally time to stop talking about moving and actually move!

I could go on and on, but instead I will go ahead and link up with Farley- and take a short "time-out" from my packing life to do my March Currently.

Listening: I had plans to go to Richmond for the Academy Awards. My sweet friend from high school lives there and we were going to watch the Academy Awards together. But they are calling for yet another SNOW STORM to hit DC. Starting overnight and into the day tomorrow. I don't want to get stranded in Richmond- so alas- here I sit on my couch alone.   I'm going to be really irritated if there is no snow when it's all said and done!

Loving: I talked about this a little above! In the Army there's such a LONG amount of time spent talking about what is going to happen! You talk about deployment two months before they actually deploy. You talk about coming home months before they actually do. And you talk about moving for months before the bubble wrap and boxes are in your home! I'm ready! I'm ready for packers.  and more so- I'm ready to be unpacking in our house in Texas! I'm just ready. And I'm so glad it is finally MARCH!

Thinking: There really is so much to do before packers come to pack your house. My husband has been making fun of me, but he doesn't get it! The more you do before they come to pack your house- the less you have to do on the other end when you unpack your house! Problem is- I can't do some of the things I want to do- because we still have two weeks to LIVE in the house!  It's all going to be great. I'll keep saying it- It's all going to be great!

Wanting: Typically my husband builds the fires in this house. I took his skill for granted. Who knew it is such a talent? I tried to build one the other day- and clearly I did not get my Girl Scout badge in fire building. All my fire did was smoke... boo!  I'm going to give it ONE more try tonight though- so wish me luck.

Needing: So... I love to read! Of course I love to read! When I have a book I'm reading, I can't put it down! But, I have a bad habit of going months sometimes in between books. I have a hard time getting started or motivated to start a new book. So it has been a month since I've had a book to read. AND I'm tired of reading "so-so" books. I need an amazing, wonderful, page turning, book.  If you have a book like that- please leave the title in a comment! PLEASE!

????????: Can you guess? They are both foods I HATE!!!!! I like things that taste like banana- but I can't put one in my mouth! And tomatoes- I've tried to like them- but their guts and seeds make me want to throw up!  Yet I can eat tomatoes in soup, and salsa! Crazy right?

Thanks for reading- if you made it this far! Hope you are having a lazy Sunday night. Perhaps you too are watching the Academy Awards. Perhaps you are facing a storm where you are! Hope you all have a great month of MARCH!

Cheers!

It's Official

It is official... and I can finally blog about it! I am moving back the state of "fixin to" and "y'all". Headed back in time for the bluebonnets and a summer at the lake! I'll be surrounded again by friendly people and cowboy boots... I am pleased to announce that Ft. Hood Texas has called my husband back and we will be HOME in our SWEET TEXAS again by the end of March!

I have learned so much in my time in DC! I am so honored to have been a part of the work here, and I am conflicted to have to leave before I feel that my work is "done". But, I am so excited and have so much to look forward to back in Texas.  

It feels good to just be able to put it out there- it's been on the down-low for a few months. We had to wait to see if the Army was really telling the truth! They like to change things a lot! For example, I told my last boss we were moving- and a year and a half later- we actually did! That's the fun part of the US Army. But this is for real- for real- for real. 

See you soon Texas! 
Keep it real DC! 

Cleaning House This Snow Day

Hey there- and happy SNOW DAY to me! Bummer is we also have a SNOW DAY tomorrow when I had planned a Professional Development for 600+ teachers in the city! I'm super bummed that all of my work is down the drain, or in a snow drift, but nothing we can do.

So instead of being at work making copies and loading my car full of PD stuff to take and set up this evening at the school. I am at home. In my jammies STILL and have spent the day cleaning and organizing.

One thing I did that I've been meaning to do is clean out BOOKS in my basement. I've been saving books and it's time to sell! Most of them are leveled readers- just single copies of books- that I used in my classroom library. I taught my students how to pick out their "just right books", but I had to have some baskets of books for them that were somewhat leveled in order to scaffold them in this process. In Kinder I had bins of level A-B books together in a GREEN bin. C-D books in a YELLOW bin and E+ in a RED bin.  Once in the "right bin" kids could then find books that are interesting to them and on the right level.

It took years to build up my collection of leveled books. Are you trying to build up your collection? Do you need some more books to add to your classroom library that are leveled? You are in luck.
Good deals to be had in my eBay store! 50 books starting at 12 and 13 dollars and some bigger lots of 75 and 100 too! Click here to start shopping! There are collections of Big Books too.

Follow Up: Read Anything Good Lately?

I had so much fun reading to kids a few weeks ago at a DC School. And they even did their HOMEWORK! Look how cute! Yay for kids- they are so darn smart!

February Currently

Whoop! It's February! I don't know why that excites me, maybe because March is around the corner and that means warmer weather and easier work load? Regardless... bring it February!

I'm linking up with Farley this month. I just love this REASON to blog each month. I promise I am going to get better at blogging. I found out there actually ARE people who read it. ("Hi" teacher at Watkins Elementary on Reading Day).  So... let's get to it.

Currently....

Listening: I got to SEE Alabama in concert back in September in Detroit! Amazing! I grew up with this music and a friend of mine brought it back into my life back in 2002. I had forgotten about 80's country. If you don't own their new Essential Alabama album- go! go! go! buy it! 

Loving: Oh what a MESS traveling was on Thursday night. A couple of inches of snow and DFW shuts down. Maybe there was a little bit of ice too? But... nothing this Michigan girl can't handle. Ha! Funny... now it's sunny and 70 degrees as I catch my plane home! 

Thinking: Truly, things are so busy right now. It's always how it is right? Some weeks are just way worse than others, and this week is tough! I am taking it one thing at a time- checking things off the list. Actually, writing the list makes me anxious, so I have not put it to paper, but rather am crossing it off the list in my mind. 

Wanting: I got enough time at DFW... because that flight was delayed too! If you have never had dinner at the Pappadeaux in terminal A- it's a real treat! It's down in the basement. If you don't know it's there, you would walk right past it! I seek it out every time I'm there and I made it on Thursday night! Yum! Debating if I should go again tonight? Hmmm... 

Needing: I am eating, breathing, and sleeping (sometimes nightmares) about Feb PD Day in the city! Who has PD day on VALENTINE'S Day? I digress... 

So much work goes into such a short three hours for so many teachers!  I have a work PHONE that will stay charged all day compared to my iPhone, but I have a work computer that only lasts me about an HOUR! Grrrr! 

2 Truths and a Fib:  I DID go to a club! It was a first for me- a big bar- in a big city! I saw dance moves, I've never seen in my life! Watch out ladies- I've learned a thing or two! #epic

Sister? I don't have a sister. Anyone who knows me will not be surprised to hear that I am an only child! I have friends who are like sisters, but I grew up with more toys, and more clothes and no one who stole them out of my closet.  

My parents are here for a MONTH! It is awesome. Jeff is out of town for work, so it is just the three of us.  Mom makes dinner, and packs my lunch and cleans my house and does the laundry... Dad has done yard work and cleaned my dryer (lint) and fixed my dishwasher. The older my parents get (Mom just turned 68 and Dad turns 70 in a few months) the more I cherish time with them. There are so many little things that I love about them and I am so thankful to be able to have this special time together- just the three of us. We are riding a double-decker bus in the city next week! #playingtourist

Wishing all of you a fabulous February!

Wordless Wednesday