Triathlete, Downton Abbey, and a Winner!!!

I attend Forest Pointe Church and each Sunday morning I have the pleasure of serving in our elementary ministry.  We follow a program called 252 Basics from the ReThink Group.  Our children's ministry is called Kidzpointe and I am the host each week during our 11am service.

This month we have been working on the Life App of Determination.  I have been 'playing' a runner training for a triathlon.  Well today was the culmination of all my fake  hard work and determination.  I had to dress the part of a triathlete.  

Yes that is me wearing leggings, Soffe shorts, running shoes, my Kidzpointe shirt and a sweatband!  The hubs took this pic while I wasn't paying attention...darn him!!!  I warned all my church peeps that if they saw me this AM I wasn't a freak, just dressing a part.  They all assured me, I was a freak, and it was ok!  Man, what nice friends I have. After that, I decided my new theme song would be 'Superfreak' by Rick James (Don't lie, you know your singing it!)

Onto the Triathlon!  First up was swimming.  I put on a face mask and jumped into a baby pool to simulate my swim.

The script specifically said "look ridiculous " I was doing the freestyle, then changing it up with the doggie paddle and finishing up with the backstroke.  Swimming standing up, in a pool, on hardwoods, is HARD!!!!  The pool was sliding all over the place and I almost bit the dust a few times!  After swimming, I had to chug cups of water, slam the cups on the ground, eat orange quarters, throw the rinds down!  Can you picture it????

Next up was the bike ride which was on this baby! Well maybe not this exact bike, but one like it.

  

I had a banana seat bike growing up, and you would think I could ride it, but that was not the case!  I had to wheel around the room hitting my knees with every peddle all while downing squeezable applesauce (it represented power gel, whatever that is!) After wheeling around, I once again had to chug water, slam cups on the ground and eat orange quarters, throwing the rinds down.  

At this point I was exhausted but still had the 'run' ahead of me!  I was running around like a weirdo and ended it with more water, oranges and power gel applesauce!  I had a total Chariots of Fire moment!!!

The kids loved it which makes it totally worth it.  I even had one of the 1st graders tell me how funny I was! What is really sad is the fact that after my brief physical activity, I am super sore!!
 Do any of you use the 252 basics in your church program???  Are there any other triathletes out there??

After church I love to relax.  My Sunday guilty pleasure is Downton Abbey!!!  

I look forward to Sunday nights at 9 on PBS to see what is going to happen in the lives of the Crawley's.  Historical Fiction is my favorite genre and I love learning about what life was like in other time periods.  I am so caught up with Mary and Matthew's new marriage, Sybil and Tom's pregnancy, and Edith being left at the alter.  Oh to live in a castle surrounded by maids and waiters!  What a life!   Is it sad that I watch the rerun episode at 8, even though I have already seen it!  I can't get enough!  Are any of you obsessed with Downton Abbey?

Lastly, thanks to all who entered my Weather Lapbook giveaway.  Congrats to Cherie Mae Ong!  I have sent your prize.  

Monday's on its way, what are your Sunday favs?

No Sleep For the Weary and a Giveaway

So after my awesomelytastic day (yes that is totally a word) , my brain just couldn't stop going!  I went to bed around 12ish with no problem, but when the clock hit 3:30am, my eyes were wide open and my mind was going 100 miles per minute!  What the heck!  3:30am is for SLEEPING not THINKING!  So today I was extremely perky my normal self, and about 1pm I felt "the wall" coming on.  By 3 pm I was in full on "wall status" I continued to push through until 5 to try to finish my report cards, which didn't happen.  I dragged myself home and died  passed out on the couch until 8:30.  So here we are!!!  I am just hoping that my nap small sleep doesn't interfere with my night night later!

As promised here is my newest lapbook for teaching Weather!  

Enter my giveaway for a chance to win your own copy!  I will chose a winner Sunday night! 

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Tomorrow is Thursday, so it's all downhill from here!!!

A Mary Poppins Kind of Day!

Today can be summed up in one word....Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!!!  Feel free to break into song now!

 

 I presented Professional Development for Pearson Math Investigations today for 3-5 and it is so awesome to work in a district that values PD and allows for time for it during our instructional day.

Today was a day without kids for all teachers.  Our Curriculum Facilitators created sessions that covered all topics of curriculum and teachers chose different sessions to attend and then would report back to their schools and share out in PLCs.

Our workshop began at 8:30, so I got there at 7:30 to get "mentally prepared".  Normally this is plenty of time, but today was different.  Our session was held at the local community college, which we use often for PD.  I went to the room we were assigned to and discovered that we had not been given 2 rooms (1 for k-2 and 1 for 3-5) This was a BIG oopsie!  We stood around and waited for the custodians to help us find a room, this.did.not.happen.  Finally our Curriculum Facilitator told us to walk to another building and we took over a  room!!!  We did not pass go.  We did not collect $200, we just took over the room!

When we got into our newly acquired room there was a partition in the middle that needed to be closed.  Our session began at 8:30 with roughly 150 people and the partition was WIDE OPEN until at least 9:30!  Talk about loud!  We had all 6 grade levels going on at one time-two words-HOT MESS organized chaos!  But the teachers in my district rolled with it like rock stars.  The teachers in my session were great. It was awesome discussing all the things that were coming up in 3rd grade unit and how my Kinder teachers were using the same terms!!!  (insert happy dance)

After the sessions teachers grabbed lunch and then came back for their PLC debriefs. This is where my Mary Poppins moment came in!  I told my teams I would be coming around to touch base with them and hear about their day.  I started with 2nd and they were awesome.  Each teacher shared out what they had learned at their session and discussed new things they thought the team could implement.  My 2nd grade team has it going on!  They shared with me that they were ahead of most others in their sessions and they told me how much they appreciated all my hard work during the first half of the year!  I have been wishing and hoping and thinking and praying (yep another song for ya!)for this day for a LONG time!

Next, I went to visit 1st grade.  They were talking about using nonfiction text within shared reading.  They shared a site that was new to me National Geographic Young Explorers

It is great for getting your content standards with the new ELA CCSS.  I also had a great compliment from a member of this team.  I didn't realize that all I did was appreciated by my teachers, but one of them told me that while they were at their session today other teachers began complaining about not having any time to gather resources.  My teacher told them that her Instructional Facilitator (me) gathered all kinds of resources and was super helpful!  Not only did my teacher notice what I have been doing for them, she shared it with someone at another school!  How cool is that!  

While I was working with my 1st grade team, my new principal (have I mentioned how awesome she is!) came and asked me to come to K.  They were discussing balanced literacy and our new Fountas and Pinnell Phonics program.  I listened and contributed to the discussion then the convo shifted to writing.  They are beginning a new unit of study and were concerned about how to begin.  I offered to come and do a model for them, and they were thrilled to have me come!!!!  This was another Mary Poppins moment!  We continued discussing curriculum and then my principal and I went back to my room for a debrief of the day.  

She complimented me on all the teachers were able to achieve through my leadership in curriculum.  It was a huge compliment, as just a few months ago I was doubting myself daily.  Sometimes hourly  Then she told me something that I never expected.  When she came and got me from my 1st grade meeting, the K teachers asked her to come and get me!!!!!  I was asked for!  

I know the old saying is good things come to those who wait, and this day and the way it made me feel, were all worth the wait!  And for those of you who hung with me through this super long post, are being rewarded as well!!!  I have included my Reading and Writing Conference Sheets.  Just click on the pic below to download yours.

Tomorrow I will be dropping my new Weather Lapbook with a giveaway you don't want to miss!!!

What was your Mary Poppins moment today?

Five for Friday (on Saturday!)

Ya'll know how much I love a good linky!  Kacey over at Doodle Bugs Teaching has a great one with Five for Friday!  

1. The hubs and I took Raegan back to the Dr. for her 2nd checkup visit.  We got great news that she is healing great from her surgery and she only has to wear her helmet another month!!!  Our next checkup isn't unit April :)  Yay for good news!!!!

2. I am back in full Taco Monday swing!  We had to stay away from my Monday staple while Raegan healed from surgery.  It was so hard to miss out on yummy tacos and the convos we have with the staff.  After going there almost every Monday for the past 2 years, they are like family.

3. We have a big PD coming up Tuesday for our district and I am presenting Math Investigations for 3-5.  I worked on that with our District math Curriculum facilitator this week.  We ended up working from 1:30-6pm one night, but its all planned and copied, so its worth it!  I LOVE Investigations!!!!!  If your not teaching it, your missing out!

4. We got a minuscule amount of snow, which resulted in a 2 hour delay Friday.  I was able to get some paper work done during this time.  I finally finished the Kindergarten math folders for the class I have been helping out in.  We finally have a certified teacher subbing in K!!!  I have been pulling double duty since November teaching in K and doing my Instructional Facilitator duties.  So happy to be back in my original role :)

5. My biggest news of the week.....I am going to see Lucy Calkins and Marcy Cook in March!!!!!  Our district is sending several Instructional Facilitators and teachers.  I am super excited about the Calkins one because it is in Columbia, SC and I am getting a hotel with 2 other IFs to stay the night!!!!  Girls night, whoop whoop!!!!  

So there ya go!  My Five for Friday, or in my case, Saturday.  Head over and link up your Five with Kacey!

My Funny Valentine

So my brand new New Year Resolution to post more frequently was very short lived!  This week I have found myself going to bed before 8:30!  Any of you exhausted?????  I don't know why, but since we got back from Christmas break, I have been super tired!

Today's post has nothing to do with teaching, but I am hoping that it will make some of you laugh!

While surfing   perusing Pinterest, the funny movie Valentine's cards caught my attention.  I couldn't resist sharing them!

For the Harry Potter Lover in your life:

Maybe Lord of the Rings is more your style!

Hunger Games....My Valentine's Day be ever in your favor!

I can't get enough of these!!!! 

I have been working on my Weather Lapbook, so stay tuned for it to come hot off the press this weekend!  Enjoy the winter weather :)  I'm hoping for a delay and no more!!!!!!

Cloud 9

Today was my first day back after break and we came back to a new principal!  I was super nervous going in this morning, but all that subsided once I met her.  Today was a great day spent talking about my favorite thing....CURRICULUM!

Its so nice to be appreciated ha!

I am so happy that my new principal enjoys talking about curriculum and man does she know her stuff.  I can already tell she is going to be a great fit for my school. I can sum her up in 3 letters...FAB!

We started the year with an interim which has made for a difficult beginning.  Leaving the classroom was never an easy decision, but I didn't expect all the ups and downs that I have experienced the past 4 months.

When we first heard we would be getting a permanent principal after Christmas break, my head began to spin with all the possibilities of who it could be.  I would have never guessed we would be getting someone with HS background!  I will admit, I was anxious about this at first, but then the hubs reminded me of my FAVORITE principal of all time, Rebecca.  She came from HS too and it was the best thing for our school.

 Don't worry, Rebecca The Huff will not be replaced! (Insert sappy song here)

How was your first day back?  (or are you a lucky one who's still on break!!!)

Welcome 2013!

There is nothing better than ringing in the new year with my hubby and girls.  We had a great night eating taco ring, playing tea party (they got a kitchen from Santa) and watching Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve.  Extra plus-no crowds to fight and no drunk idiots!

I'm kicking off 2013 right by joining up with Farley's Currently.

 

 Listening
I put my girls down for a nap and usually there is some chatter, but they took it to a whole new level!  I heard nothing but giggling for at least an hour!  Needless to say, no nap for them.

Loving
There is nothing I would rather do then spend time with my family.  We have been with our extended family over Christmas and have enjoyed many meals, playing games and of course gifts.  Being with them brings back all the memories I have of being a child at Christmas.  I want those same type memories for my girls!

Thinking
We started our school year with an Interim Principal and got a big announcement the day before break that we were getting a "real" principal!!!!!  It has been a difficult time for the whole staff, but now I find myself thinking a lot about what is going to change come Wednesday when we return!  Stay tuned for updates!

Wanting
Two words: NEW HOUSE!  We bought our house back in 2006 as a starter home.  It was brand new and I was in love with it as soon as I saw it.  I had no problem with the size when we first moved in, but 6 years and a set of twins later and we have outgrown it!  The girls' have a playroom (which is necessary for my sanity) but their toys still find their way all over the house.  I know now isn't the time for a move, but a girl can dream right???  To torture myself  I have been spending all my spare time watching HGTV and all their home shows.

Needing
The hubs and I completed Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University back in the fall as part of a small group at our church.  It was the single best thing that we could have done in 2012.  We learned that I am the nerd tight wad and Kyle is the free spirit spends at will. In my defense, I feel that I am a good mix of the two!  We start each month by setting up a budget and telling our money where to go, instead of saying 'where did it go?' which happened often to us!  Christmas has been much more pleasurable knowing we didn't overspend!!

OLW
Positive-I am the world's worst at being a Negative Nelly.  The hubs is always telling me I need to be more positive and look for the positive in situations.  I am really going to try to be more positive.  This OLW  can really be carried over to all areas of  my life.

Here's to a great 2013!  Head over and link up with Farley :)