Favorite Places and Spaces Linky Up #1 August 2015

Welcome, welcome, to my first ever Linky party! I have been lucky enough to travel, a lot. And whether I'm at home in rural AZ or in Paris, I've always connected with places and spaces where I feel comfortable.  

So, the idea was born for this linky party at Panera Bread in Vegas while I was waiting for my hubby to come home from commercial fishing in AK this summer. (Vegas is our nearest airport)  Panera is one of my favorite places to eat and work, especially when I'm by myself (and close to one!). 

So, my favorite place that I want to share this month is a place I get to a few times a year.  It's only 3 hours from my house, so my goal is to get there more often.  I LOVE nature.  This is a beautiful world we have here.  There are so many wonders.  I'm lucky enough to live close to one that has become a favorite place for me to go.  I have very limited cell service, and NO internet at all when we go.  That in and of itself is spectacular!  I lovingly refer to it as the "spectacular hole in the ground keeping us from the rest of the state" 

So my favorite place that I'm sharing this month is the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. 

Reasons why it's a favorite place: 

• SO MUCH COOLER! (when it's 100+ degrees at my house its in the 80s at the North Rim!)
• Epic Views
• Helps me keep perspective.  If my Heavenly Father can create this masterpiece, imagine what He can do with me! 
• Amazing thunderstorms and lightning shows!
• Pine Trees
• Fall colors (we went in the end of September last year and camped.  It was awesome!)

Things you should know if you want to go:

• It is not close to anywhere or anything, but so worth the trip
• It is not very crowded, especially during the week
• Late July/Early August is the best for the incredible evening storms that roll in
• The North Rim is closed from October 15th-May 15th. which makes me very sad, because I'd LOVE to see it covered in snow! 
• Rooms at the lodge and Cabins on the Rim are extremely pricey, but the view is worth it!
• The campground is cheap and personally my favorite place to stay!
• All accommodations at the North Rim must be booked WAY in advance, or at the very last minute when there are cancellations. 
• There is a gas station, store, visitor's center, and restaurants at the North Rim, but you'll pay a premium price for your location! Breakfast with a view of the sunrise, or dinner with a view of sunset over the rim makes it ALL worth it though! 

Read the rules and then grab the button and link up your favorite places and spaces!! 

An InLinkz Link-up

#2getherwearebetter Linky- August: Bulletin Boards

Good morning from Indiana!  Yes I'm on vacation linking up with two of my long time bloggy favorites.  I know you all know them and I'm so excited to be joining them because I truly believe that #2getherwearebetter!

So be sure to hop over and visit Ashley and Angie and link up your bulletin boards! 

So, on to bulletin boards!

In and outside of my classroom, I use whatever space I have to share our learning.  I firmly believe that things created by my students teach my students the most! For example, these homophone posters.  They were given a pair of homophones and had to use each one correctly in a sentence and then illustrate it.  They turned out great! This was one of those "fly by the seat of my pants" creations my first year teaching third grade that has turned into one of my favorite activities.

 

Space is a premium in all of our classrooms.  One year I used this corner of my room as my writing center.  I was small, but provided LOTS of great resources for my kiddos.

I currently have one of the smallest hallway bulletin boards in the building.  But at least I have something!  I use our surrounding green wall as an extension bulletin board, too. 

To be completely honest with you, #realtalk, I HATE coming up with bulletin boards for the hallway, and I promise, anything cute came from TPT!  I don't cover my board with paper or fabric PLUS I don't change out my boarder!  Don't hate me. 

This cute New Year's bulletin board project I won on from Just Wild About Teaching several years ago.  I have done this project several times.  My kiddos love it and I get LOTS of compliments on it!

These Martin Luther King Jr. projects were a directed art project my partner teacher did with all the third grade kiddos.  I love how they turned out.  They're so unique to each kid!  SO fun!

This door was done by my momma.  Anything cute bulletin board wise that has the background done and is cohesive was done by her!  I'm excited to have her back around this year to enjoy her doing my bulletin boards and door again this year! She already has grand plans!!

This FREEBIE from Learning is Something to Treasure is SO cute!  It's perfect for my third graders and I LOVE how summery they look on my board! Get it here.

My third graders LOVE doing Farley's Currently, just as much as I do.  And honestly, when I need a quick switch in my bulletin board and don't have time for an elaborate project, it's PERFECT to hang in the hallway!