Five for Friday Summer Edition #1

Linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching again to sum up my week. 

Well, it's officially summer and getting REALLY hot (as in over 105 already! although my husband just got done telling me the weather app says its only 83 right now... I say it LIES!).  I've been up to a myriad of things this week most of which I've already covered with my previous posts so you're going to get 5 random things today! Here  it goes. 

1. Spent 4 hours at the dentist.  Not for me, waiting for my husband. You see, I am TERRIFIED of the dentist.  As in, I was sitting in the waiting room for hours on Tuesday trying to talk myself out of running out of there like a crazy woman.  Thursday, when he had to go back he made me sit in the room with him and meet the new dentist, who actually is very nice, and patient.  I know its all in my head, but its hard to tell yourself that when an anxiety attack is starting.  However, I survived sitting in a dentist's office for an entire routine cleaning, without running away (although there were almost tears a couple of times) ridiculous, I know.  I should've taken pictures! 
2. Shopping.  Oh man, did I do some SERIOUS shopping this week!  Its a VERY good thing we live 30 miles from town and don't go that often.  I got some extremely good deals, but still, money is money, which we never seem to have enough of. Here are some of the cute things I found.  At Lane Bryant I bought $300+ worth of clothes for $100 and at Old Navy we spent $17. I'm LOVING those gray capris! They're SO comfy! 

    3.  If you read my summer bucket list post, you read that my husband is going to miss my 30th (eek) birthday.  He's feeling a little guilty, I think. Anyway, yesterday he gave me my birthday present... Isn't it gorgeous!?!?! I'm in LOVE.  (now don't freak out on your husbands... you, too can have this without breaking the bank, promise... click here but don't tell anyone!)

    4. My first Donor's Choose project was funded at the beginning of the month and I requested card stock, ink, a laminator, and pouches so I could finally USE all of the resources I've had from all of YOU great bloggers out there.  This was the pile 3 weeks ago.  (mind you it GREW before it got smaller.. I just forgot to take a picture of it!)

 This is what the pile looks like now.  After lots of cutting and sorting.  It still all needs to be laminated and cut again, but seeing as the laminator isn't here yet, I have to keep making progress somehow!

 And in these envelopes are 60ish new activities for my students that I've aligned to the common core standards for 3rd grade and can't wait to have my students use in my classroom during summer school and throughout the rest of my common core teaching career.

     5. Traffic.  We had somewhere VERY important to be yesterday to support our friends.  We figured we'd leave early so we could go out to eat before hand and we knew there was construction.  Our half hour drive to town took us 75 or more minutes. It was like this for at least 10 or so miles!  Hopefully this project will be done soon (but we have 2 or 3 years more of construction as they redo a failing bridge... ugh!) Anyway, we learned our lesson and will go the back way (the old state highway before they built the interstate) for the next very long couple of years.

National Board Update

Hey everyone! Just stopping by to let you know, I'm DONE!  Retake finished and completed.

I have noticed several issues (okay 1 MAJOR issue) with the submitting process. If you're trying to convert your video and it will only do 3 minutes of it unless you pay its because the link in the document from national board is incorrect.  you'll need to copy and paste the link into a new window rather than click on it.  (If you click on it, it's missing a hyphen so you could just add that.) Hope that helps any of you that are trying to submit last minute!

Be sure to let me know if you've ever attempted to become, or are currently a NBCT I'd love to hear about your experience.

Summer Bucket List Linky

Hey everyone!  I'm linking up with Teri, Hadar, and April for the summer bucket list linky! 

Boy oh boy do I have a busy summer planned out ahead for myself!  Lots to do! My summer is split into unequal thirds.  I have separate things to accomplish during each part.

My husband started commercial fishing in the summer last year and this year he's going back.  He REALLY enjoys it, or at least that's what he's decided since he got home ;)

Pre-Fish camp third (3 weeks 1 week is over already!)

1. Submit National Board retake Entry (It's all done... just waiting for the last half to be edited!) 

2. Spend time with my husband before he leaves.  We're heading here to celebrate our 10th anniversary next week!! Wahoo! 

3. Start teaching summer school.

4. Organize all my classroom materials and find out where my holes are that need to be filled. 

5. Make my husband's 10th anniversary gift

Fish Camp third (5 weeks)

Its tradition to kiss the first fish of the season... Lucky him! 

Do you like Fresh Alaskan Sockeye Salmon?  

Biggest King Salmon to get caught in the net. 

Sunsets can be pretty there! 

Last year they helped rescue a baby beluga whale!  They were even on the news. Unfortunately, it died a few weeks later from some sort of infection. 

They also helped out this little guy! 

1. So, while John's away doing that... I want to be creating products for TN and TPT.  I've never created anything sell worthy... Not gonna lie, I'm very intimidated by all y'all! 

2. Celebrate my 30th birthday! (Seriously can't believe I'm almost 30!!!!)

3. Craft (see crocheting, earring making, vinyl cutting, etc)

4. Finish teaching summer school 

5. CLEAN and ORGANIZE my house!

6. NAPS

Post Fish Camp third (3 weeks) 

1. Hang out with my husband maybe another Vegas overnighter trip.

2. Get my classroom ready for school

3. Get the house in order (organized, deep cleaned, uncluttered) because the next time it will really get done is Christmas! 

So there you have it, I have a very busy summer planned, but I plan on living it up! 

Classroom Quick Tip Linky

Today I'm linking up with a new linky from Angela and Jean.  This one's easy.  Share one thing you do in your classroom that makes your job easier.  

I have NO pictures... I'm done with school.  However, I shared this in a comment on someone else's blog and though, hey! that's perfect for the quick tip linky.  

Do you use chart paper?  

Have you found markers that don't bleed through? Even ones that promise they don't bleed, do every once in a while.  

So here's my solution that will allow you to use whichever markers you have on hand.  When you start using your chart paper, start at the back so you always have that piece of cardboard behind your writing. No more ruined pages due to the dreaded marker bleed! Yay!  

See, quick and easy! Love it!  Thanks ladies! Be sure to click on the picture above to link up your own quick tip! 

Five for Friday 5-24-13

Hey Everyone!  Click on the button above to go check out Doodle Bugs Teaching and link up with her! 

This was the last 2 and 1/2 days of school!  What a week!  I've gotten SO much done! 

1. Last Saturday I took my retake test for National Board.  (and honestly I can't believe that was only 6 days ago!)  Afterwards we went out to lunch at The Yard House.  It was tasty! We also stopped by the Scholastic Warehouse Sale where I scored books for my classroom (over 60 books for less than $50!).  And finally we discovered an amazing little pizza place in Vegas.  So yummy!  I fear we may spend a lot of money at that place every time we leave town! 

(french dip sandwich... SO tasty!)

2. We got to hang out with this little one. She LOVED my new moose. And, lucky for him, she decided Tuffy was fun to play with again, too! 

 3. For the past 3 years on the second to last day of school we've taken the WHOLE school (half at a time) into town to go bowling.  This year they turned off the lights and turned up the music for Cosmic bowling!  SO fun!  (After all the kids come up with all kinds of money and stand in line forever for treats of course! This year I was smart and sent all of my class up at the very beginning!) 

4. Wednesday was our last day of school.  We always have had a celebration of learning where every grade level tells a little about what they learned and sings a song.  This year, we had a very special visitor, Bedilia, who's from the south and plays the same song in different variations on the piano.  (Our music teacher) The students LOVED it!   

 5. Since school's gotten out I've mostly been at school cleaning my room (very early in the morning yesterday) or home typing up my retake entry for National Board (due next week... nothing like procrastination!) That is, until tonight.  I got to head out with the girls, (my mil (mother in law), sil (sister in law), and niece) to go listen to master quilter Alex Anderson.  Do you quilt?  Do  you know who she is? My mil is a genius quilter (even though she'll say otherwise).  She made her purse, and my niece insisted in making my mil show it off.  You should've seen all the ladies that wanted pictures of this purse!  It was awesome!  I know nothing about quilting, but it was fun to listen to her speak and see all of her beautiful quilts! Embarrassing, but true story: At one point in time during her presentation she asked if there were any teachers in the audience, so I raised my hand... yeah she meant quilting teachers (apparently there is such a thing).  Oops! My sil and I laughed and laughed at my mistake.  

LOVED this bow-tie quilt! So colorful and fun! 

Tried it Tuesday:New Blog Readers

Linking up with Tried it Tuesday again from Fourth Grade Flipper!  Loving this linky!



So, I'm sure we're all aware that google reader is going away in less than 2 months... That means I needed a new system to manage my hundreds of blogs I read (addict much?!). I've tried out every option that's been suggested: networked blogs, bloglovin, feedly, yahoo, and several more techie people have recommended.

I'll admit, I'm fairly particular about what I need my blog reader's capabilities to be.  Able to be organized, however I choose is at the TOP of the list. I simply cannot stand not being able to categorize the blogs I read.  I have dozens of folders in each of my google reader accounts (yes I have multiple... I told you i'm a long time blogger/blog reader before I ever put teaching a blogging together!!!) and I NEED that capability moving forward. I know who each of you are and what category to find you in via my reader's organization. If I don't have that... I fear my blog reading days may be over! 

So, after trying each of the suggestions out, I have a CLEAR winner.

And,  I hate to break it to all of you that keep requesting I follow your blog via bloglovin, but I won't be reading blogs there.

I HATE it!

Strong words, yes, but it has no organizational capabilities, AT ALL. (At least not that I could find during the week I tried to use it.)

I did however find a new way to read all of your blogs that, dare I say, I LOVE even MORE than google reader. And that's feedly. It is divine! (it's also a Google chrome extension, which means it builds it into your web browsing for easy following! if you use chrome, that is.)

Do you see ALL of those different categories over on the left? (It's an illness!)

It is even easier to organize than google reader
(which is coming in handy as y'all are changing grades
1. click on the blog you want to change folders
2. choose edit
3. click in the box with the check of the folder you want to remove and
4. click in the box next to the new folder!),

Seriously, I LOVE how easy it is to organize!!!! YAY feedly!

you can save posts to read later with 1 click(the bookmark button), just like the star in google reader, and it has a clean modern feel and pretty colors (which you can customize to your liking... I'm LOVING the purple!).

Plus, I puffy heart the app for my iPhone! List view in the middle, post view on the right.  See, I told you, it's amazing!

Also, if you hurry (as in before July 1), it will import all your google reader's current settings and folders and starred posts seamlessly! 

So, go try it out! What are you waiting for?

NEVER Miss out on Freebies Again!

If you already read this post, sorry! But, I've been wanting to link up with Fourth Grade Flipper for her Tried it Tuesday posts. And i figured this fit the bill. (hopefully).


Are you always on your phone or tablet, and rarely on your computer? I am ALWAYS on my iphone.  it's attached to me at all times!

Do you see all those freebie items popping up all over facebook? I'm always able to snag SO many freebies by watching facebook and staying on top of my blog reading.  It's fabulous to be able to get SO many great products for free.  (Not to worry, I've spent over $160 on tpt teacher resources this year alone! Its an illness.)

However, on one of those freebies, I saw lots of comments on how people couldn't get the freebie because they were on their phone, ipad, etc. I'm here to help you solve that problem.

Before this will work you will need to

• A) have a google account (If you have a gmail account you have a google account) and 
• B) download the free google drive app for your device(s).  
• (I've also used Evernote, and i actually prefer it, but it stopped uploading my files so I couldn't get them off of my phone anymore.)

 Here's an example of how it works.

So this freebie from Suntans and Lesson Plans was available for a limited time last night, into early this morning. When I was on my phone to wish my mom a Happy Mother's Day I saw this post on facebook.  

• I clicked on it and it opened TPT within the facebook app on my phone.  
• I needed it open in safari, so clicked the outgoing arrow and choose "open in safari". 
• I then downloaded (downloading sometimes takes FOREVER!!) the freebie right to my phone and saw this screen: 

• (if you can't see the 'open in google drive' button at the top, tap the screen once and it should pop up)

• When it opens google drive, choose upload. (this step can also sometimes take FOREVER)

• after it uploads you will see this screen: click uploads to ensure your freebie is now in that folder.
• Then when you get online, to your google drive It will be on the main screen.  (Until you organize it into the correct corresponding folder, of course ;) 

  

  See my freebie about vertebrates at the bottom of the list? 

And now, you'll never have to miss out on a freebie again! (unless, of course, it is too big and won't download on your crappy 3g connection in time!) 

So, does that help you?  Does it make sense? What questions do you have? 

Did you try it out? Did it work for you? I'd love to hear from you!

Donors Choose

Yay!  My very first project from Donor's Choose has been funded!  I'm so excited to get my supplies.  I asked for a laminator, pouches, card stock and ink for my printer to get all of this good stuff off my computer that I've purchased from all of you!  I'm SO thrilled to get to work!  I've never been so excited about printing, laminating, and cutting things out before in my life.  SO EXCITED!

Polymorphic Light Euruption

Apparently I have that... After LOTS more intense sun exposure then I planned I would get the last 2 weeks, I've broken out in the WORST rash. I first noticed it last Friday. But just chalked it up to a sunburn. Except it wasn't. Then Monday I was out for recess duty, and spring fling practice, Tuesday-Thursday same thing except practice was upwards of 90 minutes. Plus Thursday evening was spring fling so another 2 hours outside. Friday we had our testing incentive, outside again... By Friday after school I had a HUGE nasty rash that itched like crazy! Co-workers were telling me all kinds of things it could be. After lots of research of all of their suggested possibilities, none of them matched my symptoms. Finally, PMLE came up with pictures that looked EXACTLY like my rash. Mine is all over, face, neck, arms, legs; itchy, itchy, itchy!!!
All the symptoms matched. Hopefully, it doesn't become an all the time problem. I live in the desert. You can't exactly avoid the sun, here! So please pardon my absence as I stay inside and try not to scratch my skin off while studying for my National Board test in 2 weeks.

Currently May

It's Currently time with Farley! Go link up.
Also, I didn't realize what a prized spot #20ish is when joining this Linky... I figured, as long as I join, right? Apparently, people have waited around most of the day for Farley's post. So, since none of that number stuff really matters to me, I promise to continue to not care and link up whenever. Holy pressure, batman! I couldn't handle one more stressor in my life, these days!