It's Time for September's Currently!!!

Time to link up with Farley at Oh'Boy Fourth Grade for September's Currently!  I have to say that I am pretty excited it is September.  I am hoping that means cooler temps and fall will soon be here.  Summer is awesome, but teaching in a building with NO air conditioning with 24 firsties who would rather be anywhere but our sauna of a classroom... has kinda gotten the best of me!  So bring on FALL!!!

Listening:  Friends has become my new obsession, while I am getting work done!!!  And Nick at Nite luckily provides me at least 2 hours of it every night!!

Loving: 3 day weekends!  I was able to have family time, friend time, and still have tomorrow to conquer some work!

Thinking: I will be much more productive tomorrow on my work, IF I make a to do list!!!

Wanting:  I hope I am not the only one who has made goals and not stuck to them, well I am re-focusing and starting tomorrow.  I have made some great goals and I really feel they are attainable.  SO here goes nothing!!!

Needing:  My cutie to be home!!!  Adoption is not for the weak of heart and though I try VERY hard to be patient, I want her home!!!

3 Trips: Ireland, well this Irish girl will get there someday!!  I mean it is on the Bucket List.  Charleston, South Carolina just looks beautiful and I mean who doesn't want to go there??? And then Animal Kingdom, I had to put it!  I love Walt Disney World and can NOT wait to take my little one there soon!!!  I have never been to Animal Kingdom, so we can enjoy it together!!!

That's it for this Currently!!  Check back in and see how I am doing on my goals....this girl needs all the encouragement I can get!!!

Back to School 2014: Who Monday?

Who am I?  Well since I should be tweaking my lesson plans for the 1st day of school, you might say I am a procrastinator!  I like to push deadlines, but I also hate missing them...so I always get it done.  I like to say I work best under pressure!

I am also a first grade teacher in the heart of Illinois, entering my 8th year of teaching at the same school.  I am a "non-traditional" teacher, as I spent ten years working in the Community Health/Injury Prevention field.  Making the decision to become a teacher was one of the best decisions I have ever made.  It didn't come as a shock to my friends and family, when I told them I was going to go back to school to become a teacher.... as they said they always knew that is what I was meant to be.  However, I will say working outside the world of education only helps to make me a better teacher, so I wouldn't change my career path for anything!

I am also an aspiring blogger and TPT'er!  I can't tell you how many things I have learned following everyone out there.  The blogging/TPT community is filled with so many great ideas and support!

I am a mom to a little girl, who hopefully will come to her forever home this year! I am the daughter of the greatest parents a girl could ask for!  A sister/sister-in-law to my wonderful brother & sister-in-law, an aunt to the coolest 6th grader & 8th grader in the world, a teacher to 26 little firsties (that I am anxious to see tomorrow morning), and a friend to the best friends out there!

Join me tomorrow to see WHERE I teach!!!

To learn about more teachers....

Wordless Wednesday...How do you organize?

Today I am linking up with Christina at Sugar and Spice for Wordless Wednesday!  What a fun concept, especially since working in my room is completely exhausting...anyone else tired???

This year, we made a big switch and went to tables...

Do you use tables?  If so, how do you organize supplies???

I did a little shopping!!

I am trying to be good and not spend too much, but after checking out what some of you bought...I am pretty sure I need to go back and make a few more purchases!  That's what you get when you link up with....

One of my goals this year (I am have many...) is to use Interactive Notebooks.  I am nervous and excited to try this.  I hope my kiddos are up for the challenge, as I am sure there will be a little bit of a learning curve...as we get started!  Maybe I should hope that I am up for the challenge!

Here is what I bought....

Our district doesn't use a Reading Series, so we don't have a set of stories and/or a curriculum to follow.  I thought that the First Grade Grammar and Phonics Interactive Notebook Bundle by Teaching with Love and Laughter would be a great start.  I think it will be a great supplement as I follow our pacing guide.

The Teacher Talk has a great Interactive Math Journal!  I am excited to use it.  There are some great counting and number sense pages that we will start the year off with and hopefully help them get use to using interactive notebooks.

Now I need to go buy more notebooks!  And then I might try creating a cute label for them!  Off to go buy one or two more things!!!

Monday Made It

It is time for my 1st Monday Made It with 4th Grade Frolics!  It only took 3 Monday's but hey...at least it is done!!!  Hope you enjoy!

Step 1:  The picture above is the start of a little re-furb, which consists of 5 gallon paint cans (I got mine at Home Depot, but you can get them at Lowe's also).  I sprayed my cans with navy paint.  I didn't use primer, which I might regret later, but the blue did a great job of covering.

Step 2:   Next I tackled the padding.  I tried to get it at Jo Ann's, where unfortunately I received some not so nice customer service, and it was WAY expensive!!!  I then found myself at Michael's, where I was able to find it pre-packaged and could use a coupon!  Well I am not going to lie, this step of cutting the padding into circles was a little rough.

Step 3:  I glued the padding to the lid and laid it down on the fabric.  I wasn't sure how to secure the fabric to the lid!  I ended up hot gluing, then tucking the fabric into the lid crevice as I went.  It wasn't perfect, but I was ok with it!

And in the end, I was pleased!  I hope my kiddos like their seats and I can't wait to see them in use!

August Currently

Yikes!  Today is August 1st!  It has been a great summer but today I stepped back into school mode and visited my new room!  It was a little overwhelming, but isn't it every year???

I am excited to link up with Farley's Currently!

Listening...I mean who doesn't love a little reality TV?  I do and can't believe I didn't know this season had already started!!  Good thing I found the marathon!

Loving...my new room (same grade, same school) it is huge and today I just wondered around and made notes about what I want to do!

Thinking...There is still fun to be had this summer and I am ready!!

Wanting...my little one's adoption to be final and to have her home!

Needing...Office Max is a NEED right?  I mean who doesn't need school supplies!

1st day!  Yikes, 14 days!!  Kiddos will visit on the 15th and meet their teacher and drop off supplies, so excited can't wait to see their little faces!!

Are you excited for the first day????