January Currently?!

January already?! I feel like I say this every month but how did this happen?! Where has the time gone?! But that means it's time for another Currently from  Farley at Oh' Boy Fourth Grade!

Evan and I have been doing heaps of wedding planning since we got back from Phoenix - like marathon planning. And he was talking to our wonderful friend Sam to ask him to be an usher at our wedding. Which makes me oh so happy! Although I feel like no one would ever say no to being in a wedding, but I always get so excited and grateful whenever someone says yes!

And I am loving that I am in Wisconsin, especially because I have reached The Point. The time when I have realized that I am officially over Phoenix and ready to return back to Wisconsin. Like when you go on vacation and no matter how wonderful or fabulous or beautiful it is, you just reach that point when you know that it's time to go, and although it'll be sad to leave, you're ready. Unfortunately, that's not a choice and I have to go back on Friday. Wah. Which definitely leads into what I am thinking about and how I do not want to go back to reality.

But what I do want is a smoothie. For some reason, I equate them with New Year's Eve even though I'm unsure if I have ever had a smoothie on New Year's Eve. But every year, I always want one and never have one. Perhaps next year...

I think the only downside about Wisconsin is the lack of my wonderful pillow. I have the best pillow ever - it's memory foam and so perfect and it's in Phoenix. Which has caused terrible pain in my back and neck. I just need a massage.

But my OLW is thankful. I picked it to remind me that even though I feel that lots of things don't go as planned, I have a lot to be thankful for. I have a job. Not everyone can say that. I have a wonderful fiance who loves me. I have a great family who supports me. I have an adorable dog who thinks I'm the greatest. I have a roof over my head and lots of food to eat. I have the ability to get in my car and go (almost) wherever my heart desires. I have lots of great memories of the past and a bright future. So I need to try really hard to keep all that in perspective.

Happy New Year everyone! And bring it on 2013!

New Year's Resolutions Linky

So I must confess - I have never been that diligent that keeping up with New Year's Resolutions. Out of all the times I have made them, I have only kept one, which was floss every night (two years down and still going strong!!) So for 2013, I'm hoping that writing them down will help! So I'm linking up with Jen at The Teacher's Cauldron for her New Year's Resolution Linky!!

My personal New Year Resolution:

What I really want is to be more active. Whether it be taking a class somewhere or strolling around the neighborhood, I need to get up and move! Which is so hard after leaving for school before sunrise and returning to home after sunset. Because honestly, the only first thing I want to do when I get home is lay down and get ready to do it all over again. So it will definitely be difficult to find the motivation, but since I am getting married in just 6 months and a few days (yikes!), I'm hoping that might prompt some motivation too.

Another mini resolution is that I want to take an art class. Like ceramics or painting or something. I took an intro art class in college and loved it and I've always wanted to continue. That pesky thing called time just got in the way.

As for my blog New Year Resolution:

To just blog more! For real, going weeks between blogging is not ok. So I think I will try to blog at minimum twice per week and hopefully more!

Your turn!! Go link up!!

Holly Bloggy Christmas

I'm always so sad on December 26th because it means that Christmas is officially over and that I have another 364 days for Christmas to come again. I love everything about Christmas and am always so sad that all the fun and festivities are over. Especially this year since I feel like I missed out on so much holiday fun-ness  being so far away from my family and friends.
On the bright side, this was the first Christmas that Evan spent with me and my family in Illinois! So that was a lot of fun and it was really nice to have him there with me.

On a different note, I participated in the Bloggy Gift Exchange this year and it was so much fun! 

I had a great time buying a few of my favorite things for Lisa over at Growing Firsties. I also loved that she lives in the best state ever aka Wisconsin! Although her package was small, it held some things that remind me of home when I am in Phoenix. I got her a yummy smelling candle from Bath and Body Works. They are a bit pricey for me, but they are such a weakness. I adore the way they smell and can instantly make a house feel like home.

I also included a pair of fuzzy, warm socks to keep the winter chills away in a cute polka dot pattern!

Both things are definitely necessary in cold and wintery Wisconsin!




And I received a wonderful package from Erika at My Crazy Life. She sent me a bunch of adorable things that are so great!

She sent me some awesome things for me to use at school. Some super cute stickers and some flair pens! I love using flair pens for checking homework or for writing sweet notes for my wonderful co-workers. And the stickers will be great for encouraging 100% on my kiddos' spelling tests! Because nothing says awesome job like a cute little sticker! She also sent me a snowman cup, which is great because I often drink two or three cups full of water at school alone! And one can never have too many cups! She also sent me some scented markers, similar to Mr Sketch, but with a much cuter design (Santa and Rudolph anyone?). Definitely excited to use these, even after Christmas!
And of course, some hand sanitizer, which is great since I seem to get coughed/sneezed on on a regular basis. And I'm pretty pumped about these post-its! The whole back is sticky! No more falling off or getting crinkled! She also sweetly included a couple of dog treats for Marlee!! What a sweetheart! Thanks so much Erika for thinking of me and taking the time to send me a sweet Christmas package! :)

I hope you all had a wonderful and blessed Christmas! I think one of my New Year's Resolutions has got to be blog more often!! 

No Words.

Sadness.

Today at lunch, Evan sent me a text telling me to stay safe at school. I was puzzled and responded that I am always safe. Never have I ever questioned my or my students' safety at school. No one should have to question that or wonder will I be safe at school today?

But to those wonderful families at Sandy Hook, that is now a reality. For the families that now will have one less person at Christmas or for the sweet little children that will forever have horrific images, sounds, and memories etched into their innocent minds. 

My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the members of the Sandy Hook community as well as everyone affected in some way. Just goes to show that nothing can be taken for granted.

December Currently...Already?!

I feel like it was just yesterday that I was posting, saying how I was shocked that it was already November, and now it's December!! Where has the time gone?!?!!?

For real. In 23 days, it will be Christmas; in 19 days, I will be on an airplane headed for Wisconsin; and in just two mere weeks, it will be Galileo testing (again) for my adorable firsties!! Ahhhh! So crazy!

Here is December Currently from Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade:

Anyways, this last week has been fairly blah for me. My kids were ticking me off, annoying me, testing my patience on Friday but we made it through and I got to wave good-bye to them for a much needed weekend.

However, yesterday wasn't really that restful. Every teacher in Arizona needs to be SEI certified, which stands for Structured English Immersion. SEI means that we can only teach in English so the class talks about the why that is and then gives us some strategies on good ways to help those students. I don't mind going; I just mind having to do endless activities that waste my time. 

Like instead of just reading a five-page article silently and then moving on, we have to get into groups, decide who is reading which page, read one page (which doesn't make sense for anyone reading except for Person #1 who is stuck with the intro which is usually super boring), tell everyone what we read, decide the most important parts, make a poster about it, and then present the poster. It just takes sooooo long.  But I only have one more next weekend and then I am down with SEI Module 1. (SEI Module 2 isn't due for another 2.5 years so I will be definitely giving myself a break from it). 

And then Evan and I went out yesterday and got a bunch of Christmas shopping done so almost everyone on our list is finished. And then we get stuck in parade traffic on the way home, which is definitely not my idea of fun.  Sidenote: Arizona drivers are terrible drivers. So add in the factor of parade pretty much guarantees a nightmare.

Today is just going to be a school/home/hoping Christmas tree buying day!! AKA a day to watch Bones on Netflix while doing school stuff. I love Bones <3

One more thing, I won Miss De Carbo's Sight Word Fluency Intervention Pack in a giveaway and let me tell you: It. Is. Amazing!!! I adore it. It's perfect for my struggling E2 readers. I started using it last week, and I can already see some of my students reading the focus words more fluently. Go check it out if you're looking for a great resource for first, second, or third!!

Have a wonderful Sunday!!