Tell Me More Link Party

Today I'm linking up with Amy

over at Step Into Second Grade for her tell me more link party.

So here are some fun facts about me!  Don't forget to head over and link up!!

1.  I am obsessed with competitive cheer just talk to me for 5 minutes and I will tell you all about it. I cheered for 5 years and I am currently in my 7th year of coaching!

(My teams are know for their jumps...funny thing is jumps were what I was the worst at as a cheerleader.  Ignore the dropped leg in the back it drives me nuts in this picture lol.)

2.  I am only the 2nd person to go to and graduate from college and the first to earn a master's degree in my family.  My Grandparents are proud of my two degrees since my Grandpa only went to 3rd grade and my Grandmother only up to 8th.

3.  I met my husband my senior year of college at a friends birthday party....he didn't call me for a week after me giving him my number!!!  I gave him a second chance after he claimed he "had a busy week" I knew on my first date he was special because my face hurt the next day from laughing and smiling so much.  We still make each other laugh everyday.  

(this picture describes us perfectly)

4.  During high school and college I was a groundskeeper in the summer at a senior retirement home.  I planted flowers and took care of everything outside.  I was even nominated for Groundskeeper of the Year for a state wide competition.  As my husband says it was legit he had to wear a tie and stuff.  Funny thing is I hate being outside and I have sever outdoor allergies.

5.  I own a very vicious pitt-bull who likes to bully me into cuddling.  I get VERY angry when people talk about BSL or and breed specific laws.  The dogs were bread to be people pleasers.  It's not their fault people want them to fight, they just want to make people happy.

(does that dog my husband is holding look vicious to you?)

6.  I love to read. I read everything I can get my hands on. I know random facts about stuff I don't even like because if its words I MUST READ THEM.   I reread books all the time.  My husband was VERY happy when I finally bough my Kindle because that meant he didn't have to haul 5 books on every vacation we went on.  

7.  I have never wanted to do anything but teach...well besides be an artist when I was in Kindergarten.  Did I mention I really can't draw.

8.  Back to the Future Part 2 is my favorite move of all time.  I always wanted a hover board growing up.  My husband and I get into disagreements about the effects of the space time continuum in the movie.

9.  I am still friend with all my best friend from high school!!  However, we have NEVER gotten a picture of all of us together.

(see even at my wedding I couldn't find one of all of us....and someone is still missing even with me putting up 2 pictures)

10.  I love fall.  It is the time of year when I have the least amount of allergies.  I met my husband in the fall.  I got married in the fall.  I was born in the fall.  We bought our new house in the fall.  Everything awesome happens in the fall.

11.  (I'm adding this because it was brought up on a walk with the husband after I first posted this) 

I have a curse on me!!!  or Rather I curse Detroit Tigers players by wearing their shirts.  See EVERY player who's shirt I've ever worn from the Tigers has been traded or hurt like literally right after I get their shirt.  My husband wont let me get a new Tiger's shirt with a players name on it because they will get hurt.  

Verlander and Avila on the mound discussing how happy they are to still be healthy Tigers because I didn't get their shirts
So actually Justin Verlander has me to thank for his MVP award.  I could have gotten his shirt but I didn't.  Don't worry Avila I wont be getting your's either so you are safe too.

Well thats all I can think of for now......  hope you found it interesting :)  Don't forget to link up with Amy!!

Must Have Picture Books Link Party!

I love a good picture book.  Thats why I had, had, had to join the Link party that  Lindsey over at 

Teacher Wife Started

Check out her post to see everyone else's picks.  For now here are mine!

1.  Buzzy The Bumbleebee

Did you know aerodynamically bees weren't made to fly?  Neither did Buzzy until he reads it in a book and then can't fly anymore.  I actually found this book at a cheerleading conference.  Its great to read to students (and cheerleaders) who don't think they can succeed.  I read it every year durning the first week of school before we do our goal setting.

2 and 3.  Scholastic "Tale Book"

So I cheated these are 3 boxed sets of book.  I don't currently own the Grammar Tales but I have borrowed them from a teacher friend and I plan on buying them.  They are great read aloud for the concepts you are teaching.  We often to activities centered around the books and they come with a teacher's guide that has small versions of the books.  I give those to my struggling friends and have the to word hunts in them.  I don't know how I would teach without these.

4.  Jumanji

This book seriously saved my life so many times when I was a sub.  I used to keep it in my car.  Kids love it, you can do tons of writing/reading response to it, and it's kind of long, with great pictures.

5.  M is for Mitten

1 Guess for what state I'm from!!  I love this book because its a great intro into our 3rd grade Social Studies unit and its also a great book to use for writing projects.  We used the format of this book to make our own alphabet books for each season and book reports.  Come back later this week.....lets say Friday, since I don't have cheerleading practice.  To see how we made our own version for spring!

Well I promised someone we would take a nap together before I left him for kickboxing and it seems he got started without me....

I love summer!!

Don't forget to link up!

I Saw It On Pinterest Linky!

I love Pinterest!  It really has changed how I'm doing a lot of my teaching and my husband says it's the best thing that happened for our kitchen.  So when I saw that Amber at Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher was hosing a "I saw it on Pinterest" Link party I had to join ASAP!  Head on Over to her Blog if you want to join up.




and you can follow me on pintrest by hitting the button on the right side of my blog...or here!  

Now for my favorite Pinterest things...this was hard.

I could probably start a brand new blog on all the food I want to make but this is my new favorite thing that I haven't made yet!

No-Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake via thekitchn.com

These drinks will be delicious to drink on my deck with my fellow teacher friends.

Strawberry mimosas via lauriearons.blogspot.com

I really want o better utilize my Reading notebooks for my kids next year.  Along with their social studies, grammar, and writing.  I have a lot of ideas that I found on Pinterest now I just need to pick and choose to figure out what works best for me.  I actually think this weekend I am going to start a new Note booking Pinboard.

blogs.scholastic.com

 I also REALLY need to get more organized in my classroom.  Teaching reading to two different groups of kids has been an organization nightmare.  I really need some help!

ourclassweb.com

I would also like to get more conference time in with my kids during writing.

flamingofabulous.blogspot.com

And I want to make these along with many other crafty things to decorate my new house!

rachelmahan.tumblr.com

What things did you find that you can't wait to try over the summer?

Don't forget to follow my blog too to see some of my ideas I come up with over the summer!

Summer Bucket List Link Party

Teri, at A Cupcake for Teacher is having a Summer Bucket List Link party.  Since I love her blog so, so, so much I just had to join.
1.  This one is kind of for my husband but it's to take him snorkeling.  We are going on a 2nd honeymoon and due to a tropical storm on our first one he never got to go!

2.  Get some decorating done.  I have had a few picture projects that I have wanted to get done since we moved into our house in October and they will finally get accomplished over the summer!!

3.  READ, READ, READ!!  I've had a gift card for my Kindle burning a hole in my pocket since Christmas and I can't wait to spend it and read.

4.  I guess I should list some teacher stuff huh!?  I really want to work on organization of my classroom this summer.  I had issues all year with keeping two sets of classes organized.

Via Beth Newingham

5.  I also really want to incorporate readers notebooks into my teaching for my 2nd and 3rd graders as well as butter utilize my current writing notebooks.  So this will be my summer project :)

6.  Finally, I want to COOK all the yummy stuff I have been pinning on Pinterest.

Grilled Eggplant

Head on over the A Cupcake for Teacher and join the fun!!

Summer Reading Link Party

When I saw that Jessica at Mrs. Stanford's class was having a Reading Link Party I just had to join...and it's my first!!  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to read.  I'm also a big re-reader.  Imagine the gasps when I tell my students: "Yes, I have read the Harry Potter book and all at least 4 times!"  They love it and it give them the challenge to try and keep up with me :)
So here we go!Teacher Resources

I've just started reading this book.  I'm trying to better utilize my reading response notebooks with my higher readers.  I will let you know how this one goes.

I don't know how i did Daily 5 without these two books.  They have lots of good ideas for reading task cards that really push kids to think about what they are reading.

I LOVE DAILY 5!!  This is my first year doing CAFE and I want to revamp a lot over the summer but I love the freedom it gives my kids!

Spaces and Places was a book I read as part of a professional development project my school did and I LOVE IT!

I couldn't find un-blurry pictures of these books :( but I love Dina Zike!!  Her ideas make boring note taking fun for students.  Visit her website to check out all of her amazing books by clicking on the books.

Read A Loud

It was hard to pick my favorite read-a-louds so here are just a few that have inspired lots of writing projects and reading projects. 

Just for Me

Taylor Mali!!  If you are a teacher and don't know his poetry you need to You Tube him right now.  He is what gets me through those days when you want to run out of the classroom screaming and never come back.

So I jumped on The Hunger Games Bandwagon and I am now obsessed.  The Uglies is a series that also looks at how government tries to control people in the future.  Its not as good as The Hunger Games but still an easy and entertaining read.

Ok, so I have a historical fiction/biography obsession Allison Weir is my favorite at both

Link up and share what you are reading by going to Mrs. Stanford's Page!!