tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48843572725573887692024-02-18T21:01:14.575-06:00Will Grade for Coffee...one mug at a timeLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-71703991004671992392022-06-15T14:27:00.002-05:002022-06-15T14:27:31.154-05:00Tap, tap, tap--Is this thing on?!<div style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Hi there!</span><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px;"></p>It's been <span style="background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">forever</span> (in reality, it's been about 6 years)! </div><div style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">Six years ago, I made the decision to leave teaching to go full-time with my photography studio. And as a result, this blog and my TpT shop have gone completely dormant!<p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px;"></p>While I don't foresee returning to the classroom, there is still a little part of me that misses it! I've learned over the years that I love creating, and for me, that creation isn't limited to just one niche. And I'm not going to lie to you, I still have teaching dreams/nightmares semi-regularly! 😂<p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px;"></p>Over the last 6 years, I've been running my photography studio, exploring other art mediums, and started a second business with my husband and sisters-in-law! I've realized that I am very much multi-passionate, and like to have several options for creating. </div><div style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">All of this to say, I'd love to start creating teaching resources again! All of the products in my shop came from needs or ideas that I had for my own classroom, but since I don't have my own classroom anymore, <span style="background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">I could use your help</span>!<p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px;"></p>What resources would help you most? Something for the start of the school year? A specific lesson plan? A standard that you have a hard time finding resources for?</div><div style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">I have a list of random ideas that I've had over the years, but I'd love to be able to help address your needs directly!<br /><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px;"></p>If creating isn't your jam, I'd love to help! Send me your ideas! And if I decide to use your idea for a new product, I'll send it to you for free!<p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px;"></p>Whether it's over the summer or at the start of the school year, I'd love to help make your life a little easier (because I know that TpT was a <span style="background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">huge</span> help for me)!</div><div style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">So drop a comment, share your needs, and tell me what's new with you!<br /><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: "Proxima Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-height: 1em; padding: 0px;"></p>Can't wait to hear from you!<br />Laura</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-18206402400514248682016-05-27T10:54:00.001-05:002016-05-28T21:26:55.086-05:00The End of an EraAnother year has come to an end.<br />
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The kids have gone home, desks and chairs have been stacked, and the classroom has been torn down.<br />
<br />
But this year it was different.<br />
<br />
About a month ago, I made the decision to give up teaching.<br />
<br />
It wasn't an easy decision.<br />
<br />
I spent months discussing it with my husband, often in tears, trying to figure out if it was the right move for me. I talked to family, friends, and a couple of trusted coworkers. As much as I knew that it was what I <i>wanted</i> to do, I needed to hear from others that it was what I <i>should</i> do.<br />
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I agonized over this. Part of me felt guilty at the thought of leaving. I know that I'm good at what I do. At the same time, I wasn't happy. Sure there were days that made me think, "I can do this another year." But those days seemed to be the exception, not the rule.<br />
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I know you've all read the rants about the teachers who had just had enough and wrote a letter of resignation outlining all of the issues that we, as teachers, deal with on a daily basis.<br />
<br />
I'm not going to be one of them.<br />
<br />
Were there issues? Absolutely. Was this last class the easiest group to work with? Absolutely not.<br />
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Did those ultimately end up being the determining factors in my decision? Nope.<br />
<br />
For almost as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a teacher. At the end of 3rd grade, my teacher had leftover worksheets and told us that we could take some home for the summer. Obviously, I jumped on the offer. I was determined to teach my sister (who was going to be starting kindergarten in the fall) how to multiply. I was going to do it. (Spoiler: I failed.)<br />
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My senior year of high school, I served as a peer facilitator and spent time tutoring and assisting in a kindergarten classroom and a 3rd grade classroom.<br />
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In college, I would spend summers and weekends scouring garage sales for books and games and furniture for my someday classroom. By the time I graduated, I had acquired tubs and tubs of resources for lower elementary.<br />
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When I was hired on as a literacy coach the fall after I graduated, I jumped at the opportunity to move to a 6th grade position when one opened up midyear. With the help of family and friends, I gutted and completely redecorated my new classroom in 3 days.<br />
<br />
But, there was something else.<br />
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When I was about 9, my grandma bought me my first camera, a little point and shoot Nikon film camera. It wasn't anything fancy, but I was obsessed. (Somewhere there are prints from my first roll of film which included lots of shots of her wicker furniture and other exciting subjects.)<br />
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In junior high, I was the queen of the disposable camera. Any trip, any concert I went to, I had a camera.<br />
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My junior year of high school, I joined the yearbook staff. I loved taking photographs for my spreads, and because I <strike>was</strike> am one of those overachieving, "it has to be perfect" kind of people, I wanted my pictures to look great. I started begging my parents for a digital camera for my birthday. Apparently, I went a little overboard. I found out later that they had gotten it for me for my birthday, but I had bugged them about it so much, that they didn't give it to me until Christmas. Oops.<br />
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As graduation drew near, I debated what my major would be. I loved desktop publishing, but it didn't seem like a career with high demand (Good call.). In one of my classes, we took career inventories to see which jobs best fit our skills. Photography was suggested, but hardly anyone makes money taking pictures. Teaching was something that I loved, and teaching was a "normal" job, so teaching it was.<br />
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When I graduated from high school, I had one goal with my graduation money: a DSLR camera.<br />
<br />
It was everything.<br />
<br />
When I finally bought it, I was so excited that I carried it around in my purse everywhere I went. (Which in retrospect, was a terrible idea.)<br />
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I started shooting everything.<br />
<br />
In 2008, I had my first paid shoot, an engagement session. I was so proud of myself. (Looking back, it was <i>awful.</i>) Gradually, family and friends began to contact me for shoots, but still, it was just a hobby.<br />
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Over the next few years, I came to the realization that I had a business and started treating it that way. I worked out of my home on weekends and over summer vacation. While it was a nice source of additional income, it wasn't my job and it would probably just remain a work from home business.<br />
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Then, in the fall of 2013, I got a call from my uncle. He had been in town visiting and had been wandering around the property of his old grade school (which had been sitting abandoned for several years). He told me that he met the guy who bought the building and that the new owner was going to turn it into an art center, full of artists and their studios. Knowing that business had picked up, he told me to get in touch with the owner and set up a meeting. A studio seemed completely unrealistic, but curiosity got the best of us, and we decided to at least check it out. About a month later, we signed the lease and became the first official tenants of the building.<br />
<br />
The studio opened in January of 2014, after several months of serious renovations. It was an incredible feeling to see my name on the wall of <u>my</u> studio.<br />
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For the next two years, I balanced life between the studio and school. About a year ago, we bought a new house, which put me farther from the studio. As a result of the distance and trying to have a work-life balance with school, I started spending more and more time running my business from home, and less time at my beautiful studio.<br />
<br />
Which brings us back to present.<br />
<br />
I can't keep doing both. It's too much.<br />
<br />
And as much as I hate to say it, my heart isn't in teaching anymore. It may be a passing phase. It may be that in a few years I'll find myself back in a classroom, but for now, when I introduce myself to someone new and they ask what I do for a living, I won't answer that I'm a teacher. Instead, my answer will be that I'm a portrait photographer.<br />
<br />
For the first time in the last 23 years, my life won't be bound by the school calendar. We're taking a vacation at the end of<i> September</i>. That's never been an option. This is the first time that I've left school at the end of the year and didn't start feeling the mental countdown to the start of the next school year.<br />
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It's also the first time that as I left the school on the last day after packing up my classroom, I cried. I cried the whole way home. I cried when I got home and then again when my husband came home. I'm crying again now as I type this.<br />
<br />
It is hard.<br />
<br />
It is so much harder than I thought it would be.<br />
<br />
But I have to do this for me.<br />
<br />
We always tell our students they can be anything they want to be and we encourage them to follow their dreams, but do we follow that advice ourselves?<br />
<br />
I need to start practicing what I preach.<br />
<br />
There are many things I love and will miss about teaching, but ultimately, I need to follow my dreams and fully explore my own potential.<br />
<br />
Life is too short to wonder, "What if?"<br />
<br />
It's time to actually find out.<br />
<br />
<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-83787189849930924232013-11-23T00:00:00.000-06:002013-11-23T16:15:57.844-06:00Pencil Sharpener Giveaway!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbLgnYgcrCDiF8LVcpkOsHyWtFZe13KUM3G5Hmg_3lcegLsXXZsN4zTyfP7CmX8SWk5L6YxaBtrJH9rtB9YaoC0Dftch-tAeXysvTcpebsB6gYTMclaPyDtPt-7LGCNbcaKtVnfxB_b0/s640/blogger-image--1111242218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbLgnYgcrCDiF8LVcpkOsHyWtFZe13KUM3G5Hmg_3lcegLsXXZsN4zTyfP7CmX8SWk5L6YxaBtrJH9rtB9YaoC0Dftch-tAeXysvTcpebsB6gYTMclaPyDtPt-7LGCNbcaKtVnfxB_b0/s320/blogger-image--1111242218.jpg" width="240" /></a>You guys.<br />
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You know I love my pencil sharpener from Classroom Friendly Supplies. (If not, see my previous post)</div>
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Well, lucky for you guys, Troy, from Classroom Friendly Supplies is letting me give away a pencil <br />
sharpener to one do my readers! How awesome is that?!</div>
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The giveaway will run for two weeks, and at the end a winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter. What's in it for you? If you win, you'll get a sharpener in the color of your choice (green, blue, red, black, or pink). If it were me, I'd totally go with the pink.</div>
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Oh, and if you're outside of the U.S., you'll have to sit this one out-maybe I'll do a TpT product giveaway sometime soon that you guys can participate in!<br />
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And if you can't wait to win one, because you realize that your classroom is incomplete without it, you can order your very own at www.classroomfriendlysupplies.com!<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKKAUORKpKIPEahn-7xQGNGb0lkQvCfAKuEq520tVHTIxf5CTOzIOEKXc-B-cfyvw6eYf7Py1pOP1aPIdtdI3Y8OVVNwcoFfP-O71p-tfAs0k1-yds4dZtfbkevdCT-0UD9wMqgJVrQw/s640/blogger-image--1344898625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKKAUORKpKIPEahn-7xQGNGb0lkQvCfAKuEq520tVHTIxf5CTOzIOEKXc-B-cfyvw6eYf7Py1pOP1aPIdtdI3Y8OVVNwcoFfP-O71p-tfAs0k1-yds4dZtfbkevdCT-0UD9wMqgJVrQw/s400/blogger-image--1344898625.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/39b84e1/" id="rc-39b84e1" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-36028524722112098602013-11-11T14:48:00.002-06:002013-11-11T14:48:35.428-06:00Best Pencil Sharpener Ever.Yeah, I know, I completely disappeared again.<br />
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Maybe someday I'll become a consistent blogger again. Sigh.<br />
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Quick school year update: Things are starting to look up. Minus Friday. Friday wasn't a great day. Here's to hoping it was a fluke.<br />
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Overall, my class is starting to finally settle down and it has been incredibly welcome.<br />
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In other news, my photography business is really taking off and I have some <b>incredibly</b> exciting stuff headed my way. I'm beyond giddy!<br />
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But more on that later.<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0148/9147/products/Greensharpener6alpha_1024x1024.png?v=1333032565" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0148/9147/products/Greensharpener6alpha_1024x1024.png?v=1333032565" style="-webkit-user-select: none; cursor: move;" /></a></div>
<br />
On to the real point of this post-The Best Pencil Sharpener Ever.<br />
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Ok, I'm sure by now you've heard all about the awesome pencil sharpeners over at <a href="http://www.classroomfriendlysupplies.com/" target="_blank">Classroom Friendly Supplies</a>. And let's be honest, if you're anything like me, you're a little skeptical about it.<br />
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I mean, how great can a pencil sharpener be, right? It's a pencil sharpener.<br />
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First of all, I just checked out the website, and it now comes in pink. Hello, classroom decor coordination!<br />
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So I've had my sharpener for about a year now (and because I'm a terrible blogger, I'm just now getting around to reviewing it), and I love it. No joke, I think our custodian just about fell over when I asked him to take the old, crappy pencil sharpener off of the wall (apparently no one ever asks to get rid of a pencil sharpener...except me).<br />
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Things I love most about this sharpener:<br />
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-It's quite. Enough said.<br />
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-The kids can't stand there and sharpen their pencils until they turn into little nubs because they're stalling and trying to avoid work. You know what I'm talking about.<br />
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-If we sharpen 20 pencils in a row, it doesn't smell like melting plastic. I'm talking to you, Mr. Fancy Electric Pencil Sharpener.<br />
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No joke. This bad boy is so amazing that one of my coworkers (who thought I was nuts switching to a manual pencil sharpener from an electric one) came to my room to try it and was so amazed that she went to her computer, ordered one for herself, and threw away her electric sharpener the second this one arrived.<br />
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It is that good.<br />
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Trust me on this one, if you don't have one of these already, go order one. In fact, order two. You won't regret it.<br />
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Here's the link: http://www.classroomfriendlysupplies.com/Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-26976341374218422332013-07-29T17:49:00.000-05:002013-07-29T17:49:40.411-05:00Well, hello there.Now that I've had a little "me" time to recuperate from the 2012-2013, I'm a whopping <b>TWO WEEKS </b>from the new school year! Umm, I don't know what your thoughts are on this, but I'm not ok with it. The first day back for teachers is August 12th, our Open House is the 13th (which completely blows my mind!), and the kids start on the 14th.<br />
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So I'm sure that if you've been a long time reader of my blog, you're probably thinking that I've already been working on new supplies, and that I've probably already spent hours in my classroom. I mean, come on, who <b>doesn't</b> love getting back in there and setting up for a new year?!<br />
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Yeah, not me. I haven't set foot in our building since the last day of school.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, I <b>am</b> excited about a new school year. My mind is trying to forget the troubles from last year and is trying to convince me that this year will be the best yet. And, you know, it might be. But after last year...well...let's just say I'm a little guarded.<br />
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I did finally start back-to-school shopping today. FYI-Amazon credit cards are pretty much the best thing ever. You see, my hubby and I use our credit card for pretty much everything, and then we simply pay it off at the end of the month. And you get credit on Amazon. So this girl just got $128 worth of supplies for the school year, and I only paid a whopping $19 out of pocket. Bam.<br />
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And then, since I was so financially responsible in getting supplies for free, I got to buy fun stuff with my back-to-school budget. Two new bungee chairs from Target, a new fuzzy body pillow, a bean bag, and a 3-piece zebra print rug set. Hello, comfy reading spots.<br />
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I am pretty disappointed about our Open House being the day before school starts. On one hand, I love the idea. I think it's pretty great that we'll have the chance to meet parents before school starts. But, on the other hand, I have a lot to get done in addition to planning for an Open House.<br />
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Plus, I had this brilliant idea at the end of the school year. You see, last year's class was...a handful. There was very little that they responded to in terms of rewards or consequences and it made my job super difficult. I even went as far as to tear down my classroom. Twice. They lost all of the fun stuff. Not that it mattered to them.<br />
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So my plan for this year was to start with a bare-bones classroom and then let them earn all of the fun extras. The chairs, the pillows, the lamps, etc. You know, thinking that if they had to earn it, maybe they would take more ownership.<br />
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But come on. There is <b>no way</b> that I'm going to have parents attending an Open House and <b>not</b> have my room set up. So there goes that brilliant idea. Drat.<br />
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I'll keep you posted(ish) on that whole "classroom setup" thing. Fingers crossed.<br />
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Other life updates:<br />
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-My photography business has really been picking up speed. It has been super exciting this summer, and I feel like I've learned more in the last 2 months than I did in the first 4 years.<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage3.ak.instagram.com/2ff8f12ae2ae11e2890c22000a1fa80f_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://distilleryimage3.ak.instagram.com/2ff8f12ae2ae11e2890c22000a1fa80f_7.jpg" width="200" /></a>-I've discovered maxi dresses. Where have you been all my life?!<br />
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-The Mr. and I went to Gatlinburg over the 4th of July for vacation. I was an idiot and wore flip flops in the rain. And fell on a sidewalk in front of a bunch of people. And then I fell again about an hour later. Down a flight of stairs. And broke my elbow. And spent most of the 4th of July in the emergency room. Oops.<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage0.ak.instagram.com/f675ce6ae4e111e2a6de22000a1fb5b7_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://distilleryimage0.ak.instagram.com/f675ce6ae4e111e2a6de22000a1fb5b7_7.jpg" width="200" /></a>-In case you missed my last post, I'm teaching 5th grade this year. I was holding out hope that our 6th grade numbers would increase over the summer, but no such luck. On the upside, it looks like I'm going to have a pretty small class.<br />
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-I found out over the summer that our <b>amazing</b> technology coach managed to pull a few strings for the coming year. My (now former) grade level partner and I will each have a set of 20 1st-generation iPads to use in our classrooms. I must say that I'm pretty excited about that.<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage2.ak.instagram.com/466629e4ebf711e2b30622000a9f15f0_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://distilleryimage2.ak.instagram.com/466629e4ebf711e2b30622000a9f15f0_7.jpg" width="200" /></a>-Probably one of the most important moments of the summer was when we found this bad boy. We finally have a trash can that Charlie can't get into. I can't tell you how awesome it is to not have to hide our trash can in the bathroom every time we leave the house. The refrigerator is another story. We're still resorting to a bungee cord and baby gate for that one.<br />
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And lastly, thank you to all of you who left encouraging comments on my last post. I may not have replied, but know that I truly appreciated the support and words of encouragement. I still stand by the fact that I have learned <b>so</b> much more from the blogging community and my own teaching experience than I ever learned in college. I am amazed at the fact that despite my completely sporadic posts over the course of the last year, that my list of followers has continued to grow.<br />
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You guys are awesome.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-61787969550845760882013-04-07T19:47:00.002-05:002013-04-07T19:47:45.914-05:00An update...Ok, so here's the deal.<br />
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I haven't blogged in forever.<br />
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And to be honest, that's kind of been the trend this school year.<br />
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I'll be the first to admit, this school year has been a tough one. There have been countless rough days, nights when I've come home in tears-wondering if I can keep doing this, and some unexpected changes along the way. Blogging was something that I loved doing-and I'm sure that part of me still does, but this year has been different. I've really struggled with this class. I've had a ton of behavior issues this year and unfortunately, my class doesn't respond to much of anything, let alone appreciate anything extra that I do for them. Needless to say, it's been an incredibly trying year for me. It used to be that I found myself so inspired to try new things with my kids partly just because I was dying to share new ideas with you. But honestly, I have been so uninspired this year, that it just hasn't been something that I've been able to make myself do.<br />
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Throughout all of this craziness, the one thing that I have been really able to get excited about is my photography, so I've kind of clung to it lately. Don't get me wrong, it's not like this will be my last year teaching, but I've been really inspired to work on building <a href="http://www.facebook.com/laurawebbphotography" target="_blank">my photography business</a> lately. As some of you know, I've been doing photography for several years, but it's been more of a 'couple sessions a year' kind of thing. As of right now, I've shot three sessions this year, have 3 more scheduled for this month, one confirmed for next month, and one that's still tentative. This is huge in my book. My hubby upgraded my camera for Christmas, and ever since, I've been devouring anything I can get my hands on regarding marketing, sales strategies, technical skills, editing skills, you name it. And I love it.<br />
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So, I wish that I was providing you with all of these awesome ideas-I really do.<br />
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But for the time being, I've just really needed to take a few steps back and focus on separating myself from school when I get home.<br />
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That's not to say that I won't blog anymore this year, it's quite possible that I will. Heck, I just went to the Daily 5 conference yesterday, and it was amazing! And that <a href="http://www.classroomfriendlysupplies.com/" target="_blank">pencil sharpener</a> that everyone and their cat is talking about--I've been using it since the beginning of the year, and let me tell you, it lives up to the hype.<br />
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Oh-and did I mention that I'll be teaching 5th grade next year. Yup. That's happening.<br />
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So.<br />
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Don't completely count me out yet.<br />
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I'll be back...eventually.<br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-20881374442428012262012-12-02T17:36:00.002-06:002012-12-08T14:27:46.552-06:00Finally! A classroom post!Hey! Remember me?!<br />
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I don't blame you if you've forgotten all about my little blog. I've pretty much been the world's worst blogger the last few months.<br />
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But now that all of wedding festivities are done, I should be getting back into the normal swing of things. (I know, you've heard it all before.)<br />
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So.<br />
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What's new with my class, you ask?<br />
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Well, that's a loaded question.<br />
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A few of my kiddos are, quite frankly, driving me a little crazy.<br />
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While a lot of my kids are settled in to the new school year, some of them are still acting like it's the first week of school. I mean, come on people, is it that hard to raise a hand?! And seriously, I know that you can hear me talking to someone-last I checked, that wasn't an invitation for you to talk over both of us!<br />
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On a happier note, my kids are really starting to L-O-V-E reading! Within the last week, I've finally won over one of my last two reluctant readers-thank you, Rick Riordan for writing <u>The Red Pyramid</u>.<br />
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Unintentional bonus: I've been reading more, too!<br />
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Confession: I was a HUGE reader as a kid, but once I hit high school, I just didn't have time anymore. (The irony? I worked in a library from my Jr. year of high school until I graduated college. Oops.)<br />
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And truthfully, I've really missed it! Not to mention, I can totally feel justified buying those new tween books when I know I can let my kids read them (after me, of course!).<br />
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My kids were SO excited when I told them that I found a new Lemony Snicket book at Target! We started reading <u>The Bad Beginning</u> as our first read aloud of the year back in August. When we finished reading it and the kids realized that it was a whole series, they BEGGED me to read the next book, after that, they BEGGED me to read the book after that. We're now about halfway through book 5 in the series. I'm going to really have to pick up the pace if we're going to finish the series by the end of the year!<br />
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After I read the new Lemony Snicket (and <u>Wonder</u><b>, </b><u>The Name of This Book is Secret</u>, <u>Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life</u>, and <u>Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel</u>), my kiddos were dying to get their hands on them. Since I had technically purchased them for my collection, I didn't want to turn them loose in the library. And since SO many kids wanted to read them, I didn't want to hand them out, (especially knowing that I would forget who I promised the book to next) so I made some super-cute sign up sheets.<br />
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I didn't post the sign up sheets until I had read all of the books (I did buy them for me, after all!), but man, those kids were chomping at the bit! The day I was ready to put them up, I told the kids that morning that they would be posted some time during the day (you know, to avoid stampede). While they were at lunch, I posted them on the closet doors, and then opened the doors so that the sheets would be hidden. When they came back, I didn't say a word-I thought it would be more fun if they found them themselves. Half of the class was at glee club, so I didn't have many kids in the room. Most of them were helping me grade, or reading, or talking quietly. One of the girls came up to me and said, "So you didn't remember to put the sheets up while we were at lunch, did you?" (I can be a little forgetful, you see.) I looked at her, put a quizzical expression on my face and said, "Or did I?"<br />
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She bolted off to the closet with a pencil and went to work. Another kid saw her over there and figured it out. Then, they ALL rushed over to the closet. Now, normally I don't condone running in the classroom, but if there was ever a reason to let students run across the room, that would be it.<br />
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No joke, you guys.<br />
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My <b>shortest</b> waiting list had 7 kids signed up. The longest? 17.<br />
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I have <b>20</b> kids in my class.<br />
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I know. I was amazed, too.<br />
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(P.S. If you're interested, these are now in <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Book-Request-Kit">my TpT store</a> along with a <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Write-Your-Own-Simile">simile activity</a> that my kids really enjoyed!<br />
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Another thing that they're super excited about?<br />
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Getting postcards from the <a href="http://www.makingitteacher.com/search/label/Postcard%20Exchange">Middle School Postcard Exchange</a>. You would think that I was bringing them candy. They get SO excited about getting postcards! We've gotten cards from Japan, Germany, Kansas, and West Virginia (I think it was West Virginia) so far and they are ecstatic about finally getting to write their own postcards.<br />
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Their excitement about these postcards brought up something that I need your help with.<br />
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My kids would LOVE to have pen pals!<br />
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Because I have some behavior...issues...in my class, I was hesitant, but I had them write <b>me</b> persuasive letters to convince me that it's a good idea.<br />
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Well, it worked.<br />
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You try to tell them no.<br />
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Anyone interested in being pen pals? I have 20 kiddos in my class, so I'd like to partner with a class at least that big so that all of my kids have a pen pal, but I'm not opposed to doubling up.<br />
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As a side note, I'm trying to get some extra technology for my classroom, and would LOVE to be able to Skype, but there's no guarantee that I'll be able to Skype, so there's that.<br />
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If you're interested, let me know! My kids would be giddy!<br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-42873345977393955832012-11-05T21:01:00.000-06:002012-11-05T21:03:36.208-06:00Well, hello there.Hey guys!<br />
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Long time no see.<br />
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So.<br />
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How's it going?<br />
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Apparently it's been about a month since my last post.<br />
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I can explain.<br />
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You see, I got MARRIED on October 7th.<br />
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See? Proof.<br />
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After that? </div>
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We may or may not have spent a week in the Dominican Republic.</div>
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And there was that trip to the pumpkin patch with some friends.</div>
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Top that off with report cards and parent-teacher conferences, AND moving-I've been swamped!</div>
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Somewhere in there I squeezed in a shoot for a pretty awesome senior and her senior pictures.</div>
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Charlie says hi.</div>
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To sum up, I plan to get back on track. But, married life is pretty great, and I just haven't been horribly motivated to sit in front of my computer lately. I do have stuff to share. Especially about the wedding. </div>
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Rain check?</div>
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-1529874224577852132012-10-06T19:00:00.000-05:002012-10-06T19:00:02.578-05:00Product Swap! (And a Super-Quick Update)Oh my goodness you guys. I haven't even read a blog post in over a week. It hurts me inside.<br />
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I miss you.<br />
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But all this wedding business has been keeping my crazy busy-but more on that later.<br />
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The real reason I'm writing this post is because a few months ago, when I wasn't crazy busy, I signed up for Jessica's product swap!<br />
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<a href="http://mrsstanfordsclass.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdkTiB6UBocm4Zalvgvxqn5ETigD36R4NwrG9fXEctGGjQhyBIUm1kbj0S4wSRZypHe6OeWUJ2_3dM3PG-TpKXKUTI3lCvaETeAktcDmpd3nnoa6YrmBNRLlNan4cpWDgvucQ2FokwUc/s1600/Jessica_button_final.png" /></a></div>
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I was paired up with Ann Marie from Innovative Connections, and got to try out her <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writing-Adventures-Pack-Parts-1-and-2-with-2-Response-Sheets">Reading Adventures Pack</a> from her <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Ann-Marie-Smith">Teachers Pay Teachers store</a>!</div>
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<a href="http://innovativeconnections.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZOEbfCwFmjLbmENIWepMW6stKkZQtJLRw5QbAvdhIgc5zdEwAvvkOa8GWowFlYAiYkLgxhmtSsYcqitZVJ3tMZ_y00ch3xdH7QXySQniqojGrjvLzq-miQs1edW3-i0hKT1dFw5iuyE/s1600/BlogButton+2012.jpeg" /></a></div>
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Let me start off by saying that with all of the craziness this week, I wasn't able to find time to use these with my students. However, writing prompts of any kind are ALWAYS helpful-especially since I'm trying out Daily 5 this year! Especially with some students in particular, extra ideas are incredibly helpful!</div>
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<a href="http://distilleryimage7.s3.amazonaws.com/34da07920f5a11e29fb41231382045bf_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="200" src="http://distilleryimage7.s3.amazonaws.com/34da07920f5a11e29fb41231382045bf_6.jpg" width="200" /></a>Obviously, Step 1 was printing. Again, due to constrictions on time (and ink budget) I wasn't able to print out the whole file, because this puppy is HUGE! The pack that Ann Marie sent me was a combo pack that includes <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writing-Adventures-Task-Cards-Part-1-36-Prompts-and-Response-Handout">Part 1</a> and <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writing-Adventures-Task-Cards-Part-2-36-Prompt-Cards-Response-Sheet">Part 2</a> of her individual writing task cards, and no joke, this thing is <b>62 pages long!</b> That's a lot of writing. And printing. But mostly writing. :)</div>
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So anyway, I only ended up printing Part 1 for the time being, but that still gave me <b>36 task cards!</b> (And there are a total of <b>72 cards in the full set!</b>)<br />
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Not too shabby.<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/3d5873f40f5a11e2a9531231380f2639_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="200" src="http://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/3d5873f40f5a11e2a9531231380f2639_6.jpg" width="200" /></a>Next up was laminating. You know as much as I do how awesome these little laminators are. I just love that little guy.<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/4d67b3400f5a11e28df322000a1cf723_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="200" src="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/4d67b3400f5a11e28df322000a1cf723_6.jpg" width="200" /></a>So I loaded all of my sheets into pouches, fired up the ol' laminator, and got to work!<br />
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I must say, I was getting a little sleepy at this point in the evening, so I was heavily tempted to take a nap while my pages ran through.<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage10.s3.amazonaws.com/54eae51a0f5a11e2b45022000a1fb3cd_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="200" src="http://distilleryimage10.s3.amazonaws.com/54eae51a0f5a11e2b45022000a1fb3cd_6.jpg" width="200" /></a>Once the pages were all laminated, it was on to the cutting stage. I must say, I seriously enjoy cutting stuff. It's almost therapeutic for me. I know, I'm weird. No, I won't do all of your cutting for you.<br />
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And that's it! All cut out and ready to go- easy peasy.<br />
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Even better, I also found that Ann Marie included full page-sized versions of the first 36 cards. Why? So that you can display the writing prompts on your interactive whiteboards! Pretty smart, right?<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage3.s3.amazonaws.com/95767e000f5a11e2b46022000a1e9de2_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="200" src="http://distilleryimage3.s3.amazonaws.com/95767e000f5a11e2b46022000a1e9de2_6.jpg" width="200" /></a>And, to top it all off, she included two different response sheets: one that's unlined with a border that matches the task cards, and one that's a bit more ink-friendly that's also lined. Both response sheets have a place for students to write their name, the task card number, the writing prompt, and their own writing.<br />
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This ought to keep my kiddos occupied for a LONG time! I plan on hole punching the corner of each card and putting them on a ring somewhere in the room so that they can easily access them if they need them. Or, I could split up the cards into smaller groups, put them on rings, and place the groups around the room...<br />
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Decisions, decisions.<br />
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Make sure you check out <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Ann-Marie-Smith">Ann Marie's TpT store</a>-she has a TON of ELA resources for all grade levels!<br />
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And don't forget to follow her blog (click her blog button at the top to check it out)!<br />
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In other news, I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off this week trying to get everything ready for the wedding Sunday. Biggest stressor? Preparing a week's worth of sub plans.<br />
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I've spent SO many hours standing at the copy machine this week. Yuck.<br />
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But, everything is ready to go, I've met with my sub, and Walter has a temporary weekend home thanks to Teri.<br />
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Whew.<br />
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As I'm writing is (at 9:40 on a Friday night) I have about half a bajillion things left to get done. Tomorrow (Saturday) we're setting up for the reception from 10-2, have the rehearsal at 5, and the rehearsal dinner at 6.<br />
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Um, I'm getting married-SUNDAY!<br />
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Eeek!<br />
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And did I mention that our ridiculously hot summer has now turned into a ridiculously cool fall?<br />
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A high in the 50s isn't exactly ideal for an outdoor wedding. Grr.<br />
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Anyway, I have a honeymoon to go pack for, and wedding details to finish up, so I'm going to call it a night! Hopefully once all of this madness has died down, I'll be back more regularly!<br />
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Enjoy your weekend!<br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-78266175093609788432012-09-18T20:45:00.000-05:002012-09-18T20:56:00.062-05:00Week 5<br />
"I can't believe that we're already 4 weeks into the school year!<br />
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And tomorrow's Thursday! How the heck did that happen?!"<br />
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Ha! That's all that I managed to write when I started this post LAST THURSDAY. I mean, come on-it's not like any of us are busy around here!<br />
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4 weeks and 2 days into the new school year, and I've made some very important revelations:<br />
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1. This is exhausting. But you already knew that.<br />
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2. I am LOVING my new 'recommend a book' bulletin board! L-O-V-E it! I already have some very devoted contributors!<br />
<img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage2.s3.amazonaws.com/bf2d9834fb9e11e1b52912313820446d_6.jpg" width="306px" /><img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage2.s3.amazonaws.com/cf208756fb9e11e1b1c522000a1de671_6.jpg" width="306px" /><br />
<img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage0.s3.amazonaws.com/e955c1aefb9e11e18b4622000a1d010d_6.jpg" width="306px" /><img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage6.s3.amazonaws.com/f3dd73d8fb9e11e1ac5222000a1e9dcf_6.jpg" width="306px" /><br />
<a href="http://distilleryimage0.s3.amazonaws.com/fef73e5cfb9e11e1b0a81231381f24bf_6.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage0.s3.amazonaws.com/fef73e5cfb9e11e1b0a81231381f24bf_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a>I love how this looks at the back of my room-totally makes me smile when I see it! (You can get the kit that I use from my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Laura-Ellison-will-Grade-For-Coffee">TpT store</a>)<br />
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3. I am IN LOVE with The Daily 5-and so are my kids! Seriously, I have kids come up to me EVERY morning and ask when we're going to do Read to Self. EVERY morning! And the kids that are asking aren't strong readers, but they're learning to love their reading time. It's amazing.<br />
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One Friday afternoon, we decided that we were going to shoot for our goal of 45 minutes of Read to Self. Previously, our record had been about 30 or so. The kids were so excited to try for 45.<br />
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So. Excited.<br />
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Check it out.<br />
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<img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/065395bafb9f11e1a15422000a1e8939_6.jpg" width="306px" /> And the only reason it wasn't longer, was because we had to go to lunch.<br />
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Today, I remembered that I have a bunch of whole class and small group sets of books sitting on my bookshelves, not being used. I pulled a copy of each book off of the shelves and showed them to the kids. We've done Read to Someone a couple of times, but the results haven't been the greatest. (When we read with our 2nd grade buddies once a week however, they are FABULOUS!) I've been really hesitant to do Read to Someone because I was really worried about off-task behaviors and general goofing off.<br />
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Whoa.<br />
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When I told them that they could pick out a book to read with a partner, you would have thought that I had told them that they had just won a $1000 shopping spree! They were SO excited to pick their books and get started!<br />
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I was convinced that it would all fall apart the minute they started to "read."<br />
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No joke, guys-it was one of the best, nope, probably THE best moment of my teaching career.<br />
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EVERY group was engaged and focused on their books-and these weren't easy books. I've got kids reading <u>I Am Number Four</u>, <u>The Lightning Thief</u>, <u>Inkheart</u>, <u>Wanted!</u> (by Caroline Cooney), and several others.<br />
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One pair of girls had chosen <u>Let the Circle Be Unbroken</u>; they flagged me down as I observed the groups. "Ms. Ellison! This book is SO hard to read because the author uses words like 'ain't'-NOW I understand what you meant yesterday when you told us not to write the way we talk! It's SO hard to read!" "Yeah!" the other girl chimed in,"The author spelled 'nothing' n-u-t-h-i-n!"<br />
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Cue the hallelujah chorus.<br />
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Another pair was reading <u>Zach's Lie</u> and called me over. "At first Jack was talking about being on a plane, and now he's talking about something completely different! What's going on?!" I then explained to them that the italicized text was what Jack had written in his journal. "Oh! I get it!"<br />
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Another pair was reading a Dear America book about a girl on the Titanic. "What does 'consideration' mean?" I gave it to them in a sentence and asked what they thought it meant. "To think about something?" Got it!<br />
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I was so excited that I emailed my principal and had her come down and see-even she was impressed!<br />
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It was like Christmas!<br />
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Seriously AMAZING stuff here! I was so proud I could pop!<br />
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Check these out (Even Walter got in on the action!):<br />
<img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage1.s3.amazonaws.com/3749787801f911e2bf7c22000a1e9ddc_6.jpg" width="306px" /><img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage0.s3.amazonaws.com/4ecfaa0801f911e28a411231381a43e7_6.jpg" width="306px" /><br />
<img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/816f112401f911e282c522000a1cdf5f_6.jpg" width="306px" /><img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/9e5e3c2401f911e2ae7122000a1cbb38_6.jpg" width="306px" /><br />
<img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/b445397001f911e2a9ed22000a1e8a4d_6.jpg" width="306px" /><img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage4.s3.amazonaws.com/c2e5250801f911e2b9a5123138140995_6.jpg" width="306px" /><br />
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How awesome is that?!<br />
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I had only planned on having them read with a partner for 10-15 minutes (if you noticed, our record was less than 10), but they were doing such a PHENOMENAL job, that they read to someone for 27 minutes! It was glorious!<br />
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4. Class Dojo is awesome. But you already knew that.<br />
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5. Charlie is quite cute when bathed. Also, he seriously LOVES peas. Yeah, the little, green, round guys.<br />
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I know he's weird.<br />
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6. Only <u style="font-weight: bold;">19</u> more days until the wedding! Eek! I went to pick up my dress from the seamstress last Friday...and tried it on...and the zipper only went up halfway. Uh...not good. Thankfully, I didn't gain 20 pounds, she had just taken in the sides too far. Whew. The sides are being let out and I'm picking it up (again) on Friday.<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage6.s3.amazonaws.com/3f8ed2aefb9f11e1a04e123138141145_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage6.s3.amazonaws.com/3f8ed2aefb9f11e1a04e123138141145_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a>Also, my awesome co-workers threw a shower for me and our secretary (who got married last weekend) last Monday! Check out the adorable new sign that Teri made for me-she knew I was going to have to replace the one that I made 2 summers ago and saved me the trouble of doing it myself!<br />
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Tomorrow, we're meeting with our photographer to go over the schedule for the day of the wedding as well as picking up our disc with the engagement pictures and copyright release. (Of course I'll be sharing more of them!)<br />
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Last Friday we also met with our DJ (which we only decided to book a week and a half ago-talk about waiting until the last minute!)! I have banned The Chicken Dance from the reception. Call me crazy, but I just don't feel like flapping and shaking my butt in my wedding dress. Also, country music has been limited to requests only. If you know me, you know I HATE country music with a burning passion. Yuck.<br />
<a href="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/1db13df2fb9f11e1904b22000a1cdc2a_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="200" src="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/1db13df2fb9f11e1904b22000a1cdc2a_6.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
7. I. Love. Fall. So much.<br />
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Anyway, I'm going to TRY to start posting more regularly (I know I've said that about 5 times already this year), but it may not happen until after the wedding. All of this school, wedding, and moving stuff are a bit of a handful to balance!<br />
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Thanks for sticking in there with me!<br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-4598225171386218122012-09-09T21:19:00.004-05:002012-09-09T21:20:25.178-05:00Projects!<br />
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First off, only 28 days left until the wedding! Eek!<br />
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Last Thursday was my school's Open House. Me being me, I used <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/">Farley's</a> <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Tags-for-Appreciation-Gifts">Tags for Appreciation Gifts</a> to make these cute bottles of Coke to sit out on my kiddos' desks. (Thanks to Matthew running to the school with the bottles and ribbon 20 minutes before the Open House started!)<br />
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LOVE them!<br />
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The classroom was all spruced up (thanks to a 30 minute divide-and-conquer cleaning spree by my students!), and Walter was ready to go!<br />
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I spent a few hours Wednesday night (while Matt and his dad played game after game of chess, and then watched the Democratic convention-did I mention that I'm not a big fan of politics?) creating these awesome sign up sheets that I had sitting out on my back table (and which are also <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Open-House-Sign-Up-Sheet-Kit">available in my TpT store</a>).<br />
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This post is going to be pretty photo-centric (since we just rented "The Five Year Engagement" and I should probably be watching it instead!).<br />
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I attempted a pumpkin muffin recipe today, but found them to be a little bland (if you know a good recipe, let me know!)<br />
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I'm also working on uploading a file to TpT with some button inserts that I made to go with those awesome buttons from the Dollar Spot at Target (since I FINALLY found some!), but TpT seems to be having some issues right now. :(<br />
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So without further ado, here are some more pictures of my room, muffins, and new buttons!<br />
<img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/a432a180f89411e18a2c22000a1c8642_6.jpg" width="306px" /><img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/b1772e88f89411e199e022000a1e8ac3_6.jpg" width="306px" /><br />
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<img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/8788f96cf89411e1a5a612313b0a4c95_6.jpg" width="306px" /><img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/2cf6c118fae311e19f5522000a1c9183_6.jpg" width="306px" /><img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/521bfab2fae311e192a722000a1e8b14_6.jpg" width="306px" /><img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage3.s3.amazonaws.com/ccfd0f08fae511e184b222000a1e87a9_6.jpg" width="306px" /><br />
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Have a happy Monday!<br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-91457630604669402972012-09-05T20:22:00.000-05:002012-09-05T20:22:00.145-05:00Bachelorette Party/Bridal Shower #1The weekend before school started, my fantastic Maid of Honor organized a Bachelorette/Bridal Shower weekend.<br />
<br />
The Matt and the guys took off to Chicago for the weekend to ride roller coasters at Six Flags, while the girls and I hung out here.<br />
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Ok, so this may come as a complete and total shock to you, but (brace yourself), I am in no way a partier.<br />
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Whew. Glad to get that one off my chest.<br />
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But seriously, I'm a bit of a homebody.<br />
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I'd rather be hanging around the house than doing much else.<br />
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So the typical bachelorette party that involves drinking and other wild festivities-not up my alley at all.<br />
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Well, my MOH took this into consideration and planned a PERFECT bachelorette party.<br />
<br />
No, seriously.<br />
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For starters, the evening kicked off in sweat pants.<br />
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Oh yeah. Be jealous.<br />
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Then, we all got 30 minute private massages from a masseuse that came to the house.<br />
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Uh huh. It was awesome.<br />
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Then, she had someone drop off a meal that she had catered.<br />
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White chicken lasagna, garlic mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, a delicious salad, and some fluffy rolls.<br />
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"Dessert?" you ask.<br />
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No big deal. It was just a delightfully gooey s'more concoction with some Nutella spiked chocolate milk.<br />
<br />
Sigh.<br />
<br />
It was wonderful.<br />
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(And I may have been in bed by 10:30)<br />
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:)<br />
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Then for breakfast, we had a french toast bake ready to pop in the oven.<br />
<br />
Heaven.<br />
<br />
Following breakfast, were last minute preparations/ set-up for the shower.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom make an awesome pumpkin dip<br /> (which just so happened to be the perfect partner to Grandma's ginger snaps</td></tr>
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Courtney did a fantastic job. She sent out recipe cards with the invitations, and asked people to bring the dish and the recipe card. We had a delicious assortment of goodies.<br />
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And the decorations matched the look of our wedding beautifully.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRIEVawiIeir5PamXggaCeejmbUlJTAj2lITC88fj4GRILW5J48q45Uk13H1BnotLGeQcKB0xVPle4t-_HzGJ56E9Gwgoz9UgR2-wzVVnMmRUM1fTVfDTC8i2J5BUC4QW1fz1noq7hmo/s1600/IMG_1703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRIEVawiIeir5PamXggaCeejmbUlJTAj2lITC88fj4GRILW5J48q45Uk13H1BnotLGeQcKB0xVPle4t-_HzGJ56E9Gwgoz9UgR2-wzVVnMmRUM1fTVfDTC8i2J5BUC4QW1fz1noq7hmo/s320/IMG_1703.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How cute is this?! She bought us Jenga and then had everyone write us messages on the blocks!</td></tr>
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And my sister, being the baker that she is, created this delicious cupcake dress. Half of the cupcakes were pumpkin and the other were half butter pecan. Did I mention that she's making our wedding cake and the cupcakes for the wedding?</div>
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And of course, we opened presents. They spoiled us.</div>
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Oh, and the favors? They were bags of caramel marshmallow popcorn. And check out our wedding invitation? Adorable, right?</div>
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Not a bad way to spend the last weekend before the start of school, if you ask me!</div>
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-23256057796436564962012-09-04T19:36:00.002-05:002012-09-04T19:36:50.315-05:00Long time no see!It's been forever.<br />
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You'll be happy to know that I'm still alive and functioning, but despite how I tried to fool myself, I was NOT prepared to go back to school.<br />
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I'm starting to get back into the swing of things now, but it has been quite the adjustment.<br />
<br />
So, to warn you, this is going to be a long one. I'll forgive you if you don't make it all the way through.<br />
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First things first.<br />
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My classroom is finished! (Duh.)<br />
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Please excuse the crummy pictures-I was frantically trying to snap a bunch before the kids came on the first day. Half of the shots I took are blurry because I was moving so fast. I plan to add more pictures of the areas that are lacking later on.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyEG7exNnYFuYZ16AufT2ha-SsjNlh3u1lBiXqLL7M7wh_SpPOlqk0k5DTBB3LK80ynRSYj-u9B2If0wQrTTr_hBGfTcXI5ws0j_7W8S40M3vmbL0MMFFRfem5Vg6rj4OBWuZZytwrs0/s1600/DSC_--28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyEG7exNnYFuYZ16AufT2ha-SsjNlh3u1lBiXqLL7M7wh_SpPOlqk0k5DTBB3LK80ynRSYj-u9B2If0wQrTTr_hBGfTcXI5ws0j_7W8S40M3vmbL0MMFFRfem5Vg6rj4OBWuZZytwrs0/s320/DSC_--28.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from my desk (facing the door)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PY2COgfe6J_GhOPMNWYkJsRrFZNNiLVYEmChBOWBujtzGI7m6iU8VTFTjxUKXWhqHOnpHFY2XYYzTym-iEsOvSEybCK9eSGg0_ND6xoJ0XW8LIsGPCHUyqS1nsi_okHmeTR8Xz2a5nQ/s1600/DSC_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PY2COgfe6J_GhOPMNWYkJsRrFZNNiLVYEmChBOWBujtzGI7m6iU8VTFTjxUKXWhqHOnpHFY2XYYzTym-iEsOvSEybCK9eSGg0_ND6xoJ0XW8LIsGPCHUyqS1nsi_okHmeTR8Xz2a5nQ/s320/DSC_0002.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small group reading/work area (and my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Volume-Level-Posters">volume level posters</a>)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6OuNb8fIVU37jIHlJfjjaz-N8ttgpnF48yRDAs1SDTztdbm9i444JIBeAtuwnRmyNC5PnKUwYfmPowElhZ6emQSz7gjwvHdDwpGvyyEhuiLDnrE0OnOKLTaapR4bx8YTsPrqgc2jZBI/s1600/DSC_0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6OuNb8fIVU37jIHlJfjjaz-N8ttgpnF48yRDAs1SDTztdbm9i444JIBeAtuwnRmyNC5PnKUwYfmPowElhZ6emQSz7gjwvHdDwpGvyyEhuiLDnrE0OnOKLTaapR4bx8YTsPrqgc2jZBI/s320/DSC_0005.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classroom library/group area (Walter is now living on top of the shelves)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHt7XL5Pcq4Tk0aD1_19Vo6PQUeql4WzrBS6IJYZo5U_Ngn9xShdXZkIP_V5y9dWumILbh9Ymo-3L7Jly2z8FNx5450mIXwUvya4GvOXcIHHNjcwt9WN_ApZG1y-jUK2rvYR2jsP7EFk/s1600/DSC_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHt7XL5Pcq4Tk0aD1_19Vo6PQUeql4WzrBS6IJYZo5U_Ngn9xShdXZkIP_V5y9dWumILbh9Ymo-3L7Jly2z8FNx5450mIXwUvya4GvOXcIHHNjcwt9WN_ApZG1y-jUK2rvYR2jsP7EFk/s320/DSC_0009.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My beautiful crate seats, the fabulous table that my awesome grandpa built me (and my amazing grandma painted)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggT73pF1sgt8E-yHhg6BXz1H-5HzlpLw9WX_Oht0MYO5IpXg-pGK9VUY_6BKADxhJOiMXrqfaN757FmeTpokrq5TTd7BUXMmN9fkgmIfu6pyzR61zypgaSCpcSQp3xKoGrTHAzyzPprU/s1600/DSC_0011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggT73pF1sgt8E-yHhg6BXz1H-5HzlpLw9WX_Oht0MYO5IpXg-pGK9VUY_6BKADxhJOiMXrqfaN757FmeTpokrq5TTd7BUXMmN9fkgmIfu6pyzR61zypgaSCpcSQp3xKoGrTHAzyzPprU/s320/DSC_0011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mailboxes (that have yet to be labeled...)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94Ai30bI9cCCnZpU4VE2zPGl2FFRrVvOefxiwkN3u6g1-T-XnlnmsHnOips_xzE6JDJbLStinWp4ms_Q0PInSkuPfs9qosuxWv94p4NbeNqA5Eq8dt5TJgc4T818VGja2vokvMxauWbc/s1600/DSC_0013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94Ai30bI9cCCnZpU4VE2zPGl2FFRrVvOefxiwkN3u6g1-T-XnlnmsHnOips_xzE6JDJbLStinWp4ms_Q0PInSkuPfs9qosuxWv94p4NbeNqA5Eq8dt5TJgc4T818VGja2vokvMxauWbc/s320/DSC_0013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another group reading area (Are you seeing a trend yet?)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBLtMa_p2mtN8FL773pOLX7LPmm2Z5ZCiROXan70tAaLx_HmjP7AlqTg6ICKGAL-edOwtKROaPnQE9ZH_T7fmfjZW4myCIjtpch8RjrPXaWd642t5H1e3eedEmDAAFNVz18koTOgQu7U/s1600/DSC_0015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBLtMa_p2mtN8FL773pOLX7LPmm2Z5ZCiROXan70tAaLx_HmjP7AlqTg6ICKGAL-edOwtKROaPnQE9ZH_T7fmfjZW4myCIjtpch8RjrPXaWd642t5H1e3eedEmDAAFNVz18koTOgQu7U/s320/DSC_0015.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Assignment-Board-Printables">assignment board </a>(formerly an annoying chalkboard)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkUQhU01lO5UfSJHQxh8sdSEv91EjdV5fTuS6Kk56aDq6SjsWd_uIRwpRVim89tmKvQ6JtodZ2iP4rR-yUsJNgIBsCnTgle3lfWZtROAa322Ys7XK_bNl5fbItLsK4YTjqx4RO_lwyI8/s1600/DSC_0017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkUQhU01lO5UfSJHQxh8sdSEv91EjdV5fTuS6Kk56aDq6SjsWd_uIRwpRVim89tmKvQ6JtodZ2iP4rR-yUsJNgIBsCnTgle3lfWZtROAa322Ys7XK_bNl5fbItLsK4YTjqx4RO_lwyI8/s320/DSC_0017.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My desk (which was actually visible at one point)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_r8wVdtvbToZ7XHuuLx9uaq75lNMlDW0Cg9-n-_IBbh0uH7dkuzsWBrHYHAa-iv2OVMd_l-nxI_Vb_kt3YoYpsHA3TLDtQz6a6P7lPbFAwur3-NqX9BCaSGpkkvotWQSmdPDUwtOV6jk/s1600/DSC_0019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_r8wVdtvbToZ7XHuuLx9uaq75lNMlDW0Cg9-n-_IBbh0uH7dkuzsWBrHYHAa-iv2OVMd_l-nxI_Vb_kt3YoYpsHA3TLDtQz6a6P7lPbFAwur3-NqX9BCaSGpkkvotWQSmdPDUwtOV6jk/s320/DSC_0019.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coffee maker ready to go. Remember those mugs that I painted with the student that I was mentoring over the summer? Don't they look awesome?</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghaTYlGVvBZEtupHeElpKqryicFWbqk6R426rIgkmDDnGRvhdsUUEO-hJvvhMW1lpvTES7Yt9KWLsniZRMgHqHQpLNGx84AFdQ-uTzFuoTJH8YcCUSGYNa6u8NwDiPEinu4cNZsdC0CKc/s1600/DSC_0021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghaTYlGVvBZEtupHeElpKqryicFWbqk6R426rIgkmDDnGRvhdsUUEO-hJvvhMW1lpvTES7Yt9KWLsniZRMgHqHQpLNGx84AFdQ-uTzFuoTJH8YcCUSGYNa6u8NwDiPEinu4cNZsdC0CKc/s320/DSC_0021.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pencil buckets</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6jEx5E5QzmpHpG7AB7XcwqBRALO-GvEoZBIcGoo4rSK2l3BSvYAuhLe3nP7FN9wNs3xAd_ejAbQtrpsehdlYL-7l-Aev6xlsyGvHSjQKuGDv0HcJHSjn5yt6Hw9F8xfW-4vuZ-3aiPw/s1600/DSC_0024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6jEx5E5QzmpHpG7AB7XcwqBRALO-GvEoZBIcGoo4rSK2l3BSvYAuhLe3nP7FN9wNs3xAd_ejAbQtrpsehdlYL-7l-Aev6xlsyGvHSjQKuGDv0HcJHSjn5yt6Hw9F8xfW-4vuZ-3aiPw/s320/DSC_0024.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Extra supplies for the class to borrow-Sharpies, highlighters, dice, problem solving pencils, etc.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyUKBIpAdwFHIh0y6uwx6b9KJNBPTwP3NtImBGrG0cUUxSS8nWq1RGsRiBtCvPLBAFcLiIsIgISXZGibL34QycodxFXvuQqwQLV-xKM8wSVgsaaRX_wg4e0hclP3NsJHLOqDYS_Dakrs/s1600/DSC_0025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyUKBIpAdwFHIh0y6uwx6b9KJNBPTwP3NtImBGrG0cUUxSS8nWq1RGsRiBtCvPLBAFcLiIsIgISXZGibL34QycodxFXvuQqwQLV-xKM8wSVgsaaRX_wg4e0hclP3NsJHLOqDYS_Dakrs/s320/DSC_0025.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from my desk (facing the back of the room)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQujjKD5D-8E5ZFdZhyFJGODf_PUkfTWDbBEmfhrOJttkOcogsQIQIKKGmA9B6IOARIE-Yl2IBhC9RNRW4NSIEegtfpokzZxYMKHFEhacRqVzTiKdNVfMFeSH3U9aYqacnPnNUKpLWkQ/s1600/DSC_0027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQujjKD5D-8E5ZFdZhyFJGODf_PUkfTWDbBEmfhrOJttkOcogsQIQIKKGmA9B6IOARIE-Yl2IBhC9RNRW4NSIEegtfpokzZxYMKHFEhacRqVzTiKdNVfMFeSH3U9aYqacnPnNUKpLWkQ/s320/DSC_0027.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from my desk</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DkTHLRTagKhdz1UsySRMEelzOOcjCaPsGaGa6-B0LOZuB6ibMXQFHgQz6CUQq3xwR7wPimIR_jN8FBUe-xXPJjY_cNIXOYYqYL2mPlNcIo_YLK0n_L1cTNZy37u0zbGJWAoMhQluhVA/s1600/DSC_0026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DkTHLRTagKhdz1UsySRMEelzOOcjCaPsGaGa6-B0LOZuB6ibMXQFHgQz6CUQq3xwR7wPimIR_jN8FBUe-xXPJjY_cNIXOYYqYL2mPlNcIo_YLK0n_L1cTNZy37u0zbGJWAoMhQluhVA/s320/DSC_0026.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from my desk</td></tr>
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There are LOTS of details that I don't have pictures of right now, but like I said, I'll try to add some more later on. :)<br />
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I know I said that this one was going to be long, but I think I'll split up some of the other stuff up into a couple of posts.<br />
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And I'll try to post again soon.<br />
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As in, there won't be another 3 week lapse in posting.<br />
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Hopefully.<br />
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Did I mention that I'm getting married in 33 days?!<br />
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Woot!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCJG6c4HLwMv27zXWJ6LodTvxspl_7qnXTPD62hft_4dxokX9y0fAAYnwEBGB1oC04uTgU94SfmtkSHgw5XIvEWxN8p9pXSD6W-IZU2lWqeQpPguDTm6m4IhjufQhhfLt0iPuo93DTG4/s1600/new+blog+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCJG6c4HLwMv27zXWJ6LodTvxspl_7qnXTPD62hft_4dxokX9y0fAAYnwEBGB1oC04uTgU94SfmtkSHgw5XIvEWxN8p9pXSD6W-IZU2lWqeQpPguDTm6m4IhjufQhhfLt0iPuo93DTG4/s320/new+blog+signature.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-31963780122691860732012-08-15T21:50:00.001-05:002012-08-15T21:50:44.259-05:00T minus 2 days...Alright guys, I'd LOVE to share some pictures of my classroom with you, but I am EXHAUSTED.<br />
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I've been working on school stuff until 11:00 the last two nights, in addition to 6+ hours at school. Tomorrow is teachers' first official day back, and I still have a bunch to do-but I have to be totally ready to go before I leave tomorrow.<br />
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'Why,' you ask. Well tomorrow is a full work day, but Friday is all meetings. Saturday is my bachelorette party, and Sunday is my first shower.<br />
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So you could say that I'm a little busy.<br />
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Here's where you come in:<br />
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I need some REALLY great beginning of the year activities.<br />
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Think you could help me out? :)Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-796988105170368372012-08-10T20:17:00.002-05:002012-08-10T20:17:22.910-05:00A "Faux Whiteboard" MakeoverI'm keeping this one short and sweet because I spent HOURS working in my room today, and quite frankly, I'm pooped. <div>
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But I still have a bunch of printing, laminating, and creating that needs to be done. </div>
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Sigh.</div>
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First off, I'm participating in the big TpT sale this weekend, so all of my resources will be 20% off AND you can use the code BTS12 to take off a grand total of 28% off of your order. Not too shabby.</div>
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If you click that graphic, it'll take you to my store.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Laura-Ellison-will-Grade-For-Coffee" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREMTII8xs1UDosXxgi-T8O3T5oc91CI7VD7E6ZzyD1SagmTJ6fiEl3IJcvPGmhjB8dLwUXqgjv7xPb-6s3MquOYyFXJWGYk3_SocvDhcVhysSNlNSgT9ojzqvsG3j4ph6cmjHAtMuohA/s1600/2049.jpg" /></a></div>
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Don't forget: August 12-13.</div>
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Be there.</div>
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In other news, I've been furiously working away in my classroom. I don't know how some of you guys get everything ready in a couple of days.</div>
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Really, I don't.</div>
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I've been spending hours in there several days a week, for probably the last month, and I STILL have a ton to do.</div>
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Maybe I've tried to bite off more than I can chew. Definitely wouldn't be the first time.</div>
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I did finally finish up (at least for now) one of my "bulletin boards." Here's the thing. Back in the day when the school started replacing chalkboards, they installed one real whiteboard and then used a slick panel board that's probably meant for shower walls for the other boards. But this faux whiteboard doesn't erase well. At all. And so now it looks gross. Plus it has Velcro dots stuck on there from a previous management system, and I cannot get them off to save my life.</div>
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And I have an uncontrollable need for things to look pretty, remember?</div>
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So here's what it looked like before. See what I mean? Nastiness. (Ignore the pretty blue paper, this was an 'in progress' picture because I forgot to take a 'before')</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qhgiLnUP3HGrEkXQKbtr5hXu4KdHgPMHXsDwak89nlWlN2-qZE6odpHaQMIzRakch2aN1Q7Yz9nCYlOVj_7VLXgZdeMWgEQZcUy-Fka91Up7Wb5MfCB2HTUgFY73_zoIz14s9V_zNn0/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qhgiLnUP3HGrEkXQKbtr5hXu4KdHgPMHXsDwak89nlWlN2-qZE6odpHaQMIzRakch2aN1Q7Yz9nCYlOVj_7VLXgZdeMWgEQZcUy-Fka91Up7Wb5MfCB2HTUgFY73_zoIz14s9V_zNn0/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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My original plan was to use colored plastic tablecloths from the dollar store. Turns out, they're super thin. You could see ALL of those icky Velcro dots. And every scratch, scuff, and Expo marker that would never come off.</div>
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I found that gorgeous blue paper at the teacher store and bought 3 rolls (Bonus: it's fade proof!), and finally found a purpose for those rolls of zebra duct tape that I bought a few weeks ago.</div>
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First I measured and cut the paper (it's not very wide), and then stuck it to the board with masking tape. After I got the panels positioned, I took the masking tape off of the sides and covered the seams with duct tape. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjas6RUkOz6oE4uv0NFAW-dPIWjZg51J3Pwwwg7DFlht8Rn62N75tpYpGieoPXJo02rwvcCKgbkNUpSaeQkyJX27Y0U0JCtQEy6BTFqijGT8Vp-n_MHOs_kQwipH0ppiKMSg0k19xFlhk/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjas6RUkOz6oE4uv0NFAW-dPIWjZg51J3Pwwwg7DFlht8Rn62N75tpYpGieoPXJo02rwvcCKgbkNUpSaeQkyJX27Y0U0JCtQEy6BTFqijGT8Vp-n_MHOs_kQwipH0ppiKMSg0k19xFlhk/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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After all of the vertical sides were covered, I went back and took the masking tape off of the top and bottom and covered them with duct tape. (I'm not the most patient person, so this project was trying for me.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfa3X9nynPx_6H4bugC6bP47m29qCy1gPhBvuc8qsevCOxnxhBwW51_9ZiIIZueJHf1PCTORGvw9RZl_KLFEtrU2RfmBtT3DTVOacCXOKLshPoW07PKgae7i1bxRRqJtnDqkCqX2NLkE/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfa3X9nynPx_6H4bugC6bP47m29qCy1gPhBvuc8qsevCOxnxhBwW51_9ZiIIZueJHf1PCTORGvw9RZl_KLFEtrU2RfmBtT3DTVOacCXOKLshPoW07PKgae7i1bxRRqJtnDqkCqX2NLkE/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Since I also bought a bunch of ribbon at Walmart a month ago...and had no purpose for it...I decided to hot glue it to the tape to spruce up the vertical dividers.</div>
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I could have SWORN that I had a picture with the ribbon, but I can't find it.</div>
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Moving on...</div>
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I also needed a really good way to display my ADORABLE CSS posters that I got from <a href="http://tothesquareinch.wordpress.com/">Kate at To The Square Inch</a>. (They're seriously awesome!)</div>
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I wanted to display them in a way that would be super easy to change out, but still look good.</div>
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Enter my new best friend, Mr. Hot Glue Gun.</div>
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Seriously, this guy is AWESOME.</div>
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I decided to use a binder clip and a clipboard for each set of standards, so I could display the cluster (binder clip) and the standard (clipboard). I toyed around with the idea of using my X-Acto knife to cut a hole in the paper and then use a 3M hook, but I figured that I would royally screw up my beautiful paper.</div>
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So I very hesitantly, very cautiously, heated up the hot glue gun.</div>
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By golly, it stuck!</div>
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I did the binder clip first, you know, since it's small and therefore more likely to stick.</div>
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And it stuck.</div>
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Then I slathered the back of a clipboard with the molten hot glue and pressed it to the wall.</div>
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And held it for a long time because I was sure that it was coming down.</div>
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But no...it stayed. </div>
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And it looks awesome!</div>
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I even glued a pocked chart up there!</div>
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After adding some letters that I punched out (I don't think I've ever bought the prepackaged punch out bulletin board letters before-now I know why. I hate punching them out. It took about 2 hours to punch out all of those letters!), that once UGLY board now looks FABULOUS!</div>
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I'm in love.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VuhdNWRBeumuPhnLQHSh6NT0E1ANElq2C9Y3yMIHDZLUp8N8ozbx2wLdTtCQgIqVABjJ_9POhiootr6VnOw_7rmBjrXkvNzhXut9Xo50bPYWpVgy8nXAA738mXBK7sHaBapPFXqoPlU/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VuhdNWRBeumuPhnLQHSh6NT0E1ANElq2C9Y3yMIHDZLUp8N8ozbx2wLdTtCQgIqVABjJ_9POhiootr6VnOw_7rmBjrXkvNzhXut9Xo50bPYWpVgy8nXAA738mXBK7sHaBapPFXqoPlU/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The upper left hand poster will be a cluster poster, too. I just didn't have another one printed off , and I really wanted a complete-ish picture.<br /><br /></td></tr>
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I'm hoping to get some pictures of the completed room before the kids come back, but now I'm hearing that our rooms won't be painted until school starts. Such a conundrum. Do I take pictures before the kids come and have the room look great but the walls look ugly? Or do I wait until the room is painted and take my chances with the damage caused by the kids?</div>
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Sigh.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCJG6c4HLwMv27zXWJ6LodTvxspl_7qnXTPD62hft_4dxokX9y0fAAYnwEBGB1oC04uTgU94SfmtkSHgw5XIvEWxN8p9pXSD6W-IZU2lWqeQpPguDTm6m4IhjufQhhfLt0iPuo93DTG4/s1600/new+blog+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCJG6c4HLwMv27zXWJ6LodTvxspl_7qnXTPD62hft_4dxokX9y0fAAYnwEBGB1oC04uTgU94SfmtkSHgw5XIvEWxN8p9pXSD6W-IZU2lWqeQpPguDTm6m4IhjufQhhfLt0iPuo93DTG4/s320/new+blog+signature.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-91163649434068245542012-08-08T07:00:00.000-05:002012-08-08T07:00:03.022-05:006th Grade Blog Link-Up!I hadn't planned on posting today, but I wanted to show off the shiny new button at the top of my blog!<br />
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See it? The one that says AMAZING 6th Grade Blogs?<br />
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That's the one.<br />
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Here's the deal. If you're anything like me, you follow half a million blogs and can't keep most of them straight.<br />
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And there aren't a TON of 6th grade blogs out there (at least that I've found).<br />
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So I thought to my self, "Self, wouldn't it be great if all of your favorite 6th grade blogs were in all in one place?"<br />
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"Brilliant!" I replied.<br />
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Thus, I've created a nice little place where you can link up your 6th grade blog and <strike>stalk</strike> visit all of your other favorite 6th grade blogs.<br />
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I know, I know, it's awesome. Best idea of the day, if not the year.<br />
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Don't mention it.<br />
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Now go link up!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCJG6c4HLwMv27zXWJ6LodTvxspl_7qnXTPD62hft_4dxokX9y0fAAYnwEBGB1oC04uTgU94SfmtkSHgw5XIvEWxN8p9pXSD6W-IZU2lWqeQpPguDTm6m4IhjufQhhfLt0iPuo93DTG4/s1600/new+blog+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCJG6c4HLwMv27zXWJ6LodTvxspl_7qnXTPD62hft_4dxokX9y0fAAYnwEBGB1oC04uTgU94SfmtkSHgw5XIvEWxN8p9pXSD6W-IZU2lWqeQpPguDTm6m4IhjufQhhfLt0iPuo93DTG4/s320/new+blog+signature.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-19965289136184178252012-08-07T20:15:00.003-05:002012-08-07T20:30:52.331-05:00SO much left to do!First off, congratulations to Meghan from <a href="http://thirdgrade-firststate.blogspot.com/">Third Grade in the First State</a> for having the closest guess to the total of my little shopping trip last week!<br />
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Remember all of this?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/eaed8d58dcfe11e1a3361231381f344b_6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="306px" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, adorable brown dog not included.<br />
<img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage7.s3.amazonaws.com/621bcbc4dcff11e1a74822000a1e8c8d_6.jpg" width="306px" /><img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/37cf32a2dcff11e1822f22000a1e89bd_6.jpg" width="306px" /></td></tr>
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Meghan guessed that I spend $34 on these goodies, and boy was she close! I spent a whopping....<br />
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$35!</div>
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That's it! </div>
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(I'm not so sure about some of you...over $100?! Whoa-I'm planning a wedding, remember?!)</div>
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I am happy to report that the rug has made it into my classroom and looks FANTASTIC!</div>
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<a href="http://distilleryimage7.s3.amazonaws.com/eb17ba7add8e11e1917a22000a1e9bd0_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage7.s3.amazonaws.com/eb17ba7add8e11e1917a22000a1e9bd0_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a>I mean, seriously FANTASTIC.</div>
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I'm kind of in love with it.</div>
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Except for the part where it slides across the floor if you step on it. I'm clumsy enough as it is, I don't need to have it trying to kill me. A rug pad (or something along those lines) is on my to-do list.</div>
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Sadly, those little green lamps are looking a little faded. I didn't think about the fact that they were sitting right next to the windows last year. Apparently the sun worked its magic on them. </div>
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Sad face.</div>
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<a href="http://distilleryimage2.s3.amazonaws.com/ac71749ce0f311e1a3d822000a1e952c_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage2.s3.amazonaws.com/ac71749ce0f311e1a3d822000a1e952c_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a>In other news, my poor, lonely, crate seats are finally getting a friend.</div>
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I got word yesterday that my grandpa had finished building my new table that will be the PERFECT size for these little crates! It still needs a couple coats of paint (which my AMAZING grandma volunteered to take care of!) before it can move in to my room, but it's going to be AWESOME!</div>
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<a href="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/278fa43ae0ab11e19c6622000a1e89ba_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/278fa43ae0ab11e19c6622000a1e89ba_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a> I'm thinking that it'll be the same lovely shade of blue as <a href="http://willgradeforcoffee.blogspot.com/2012/06/successful-diy-day.html">my zebra chair</a>. Thoughts?</div>
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I mean, I have a gallon of the stuff sitting in the garage, it should probably be put to good use, right?</div>
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Right.</div>
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My pal/bridesmaid Mallory helped me start refinishing some chairs that I <strike>stole</strike> saved from the office's junk pile.</div>
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Unfortunately, I underestimated how much one can of spray paint can do, and ended up with one painted chair, one partially painted chair, and one untouched chair.</div>
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Oops.</div>
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I did manage to reupholster 2 of the 3 seat cushions and the back cushion (only one chair had one-weird). </div>
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They're going to be super cool. </div>
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But of course I forgot to take pictures of the work in progress.</div>
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<a href="http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/c6bea8e6e0f411e1876222000a1e8aea_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/c6bea8e6e0f411e1876222000a1e8aea_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a>I did remember to take a before picture.</div>
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That is on UGLY chair. </div>
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But not for long. </div>
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(Insert evil villain laugh)</div>
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I also finished printing, trimming, and framing my PBIS posters; covered my "doesn't erase at all" whiteboard, and made super cute name tags.</div>
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And I forgot to take pictures of them.</div>
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Get your head together, Laura.</div>
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I don't plan on spending any time in my classroom tomorrow since it's supposed to be super hot (and I am going for my first dress fitting tomorrow!). And I'm also hoping to squeeze in a little end-of-the-summer pool time. There hasn't been nearly enough pool time in my summer.</div>
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Until then, I'm going to work on some schedule cards and some name/number labels (because I can never remember who goes with what number). I'll probably post them to TpT when I'm done, so make sure you're following my store.</div>
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One last thing that I've been meaning to do for awhile now-</div>
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Shout out to Melissa over at <a href="http://teach-bake-love.blogspot.com/">Teach-Bake-Love</a></div>
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<a href="http://teach-bake-love.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ZhKSO7w7a_9MPtACOciCe092P9FKGkHSG-uttrs_0R0qq7PW8RV_o2stw2YPcKHzmrDHr9AmsRCSAkRhUBGcTCIyArkWNfwYLCK12sf4S6EwhIcwhSyfFxCpZc5w4c6kIf0R7ZTQnfA/s320/teachbakelove.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Her blog was one of the first that I started following, and it's also one of the blogs that I look forward to reading the most! I was absolutely SHOCKED when I noticed how few followers she has-you guys are missing out! So when you get a minute, hop over to her blog-you can thank me later.</div>
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<br /></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-46059574633190796652012-08-02T20:25:00.002-05:002012-08-03T09:02:34.115-05:00Successful Shopping and The Proposal Story{Edit: I've decided that this post is a PERFECT candidate for <a href="http://funin4b.blogspot.com/2012/08/fabulous-find-fridayweek-6.html">Elizabeth's Fabulous Find Friday</a>-come on, these are some FABULOUS finds!}<br />
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So as promised, I'm finally going to tell you all about my AWESOME proposal!<br />
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But before I do (Get it, I do, like wedding vows? I'm so funny!), I have to show off a few awesome purchases that I made today!<br />
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I've been trying to cut back, really, I have...<br />
<br />
I made 3 stops today: Lowes, Staples, and Target (you can see where this is going).<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/eaed8d58dcfe11e1a3361231381f344b_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/eaed8d58dcfe11e1a3361231381f344b_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a></div>
Stop #1-Lowes:<br />
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I got this AWESOME rug that will be moving into my classroom (though Charlie has already approved it staying here).<br />
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Dark brown and off white chevrons.<br />
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Adorable.<br />
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You're jealous, aren't you?<br />
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It's ok, it's an awesome rug. I'd be jealous, too.<br />
<br />
Wait until I tell you how much I paid for it-you'll be even more jealous.<br />
<br />
No joke.<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/37cf32a2dcff11e1822f22000a1e89bd_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/37cf32a2dcff11e1822f22000a1e89bd_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a>Stop #2-Staples<br />
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Come on, it's school supply season. I can't just ignore school supply season. That would be wrong. And sad.<br />
<br />
So to prevent myself from slipping into a deep depression from lack of school supplies, I stocked up on 25 pocket folders (which just so happen to match my adorable crate seats) and these super fun markers for anchor charts.<br />
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Did I mention that the markers are smelly?<br />
<br />
I. Love. Smelly. Markers.<br />
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I see LOTS of anchor charts on my horizon.<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage7.s3.amazonaws.com/621bcbc4dcff11e1a74822000a1e8c8d_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage7.s3.amazonaws.com/621bcbc4dcff11e1a74822000a1e8c8d_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a>Stop #3-Target<br />
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You know I can't pass up a trip to Target. And I needed coffee. And it just so happens that we have a Starbucks in our Target. It's heaven.<br />
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You should be proud of me-this is probably the cheapest Target trip I've had in months. (No seriously, months.).<br />
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I found these super fun picture frames (that match my classroom perfectly) at the Dollar Spot for $2.50 each. (Not exactly a dollar, Target. Shame on you.)<br />
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While I was lurking around in the Dollar Spot, I found those super cute birthday cakes for my birthday display (that I am finally getting around to having for my 3rd year of teaching, sigh). Did I mention that they're reversible? They are. One side is blue, the other pink. Hello, color coordination.<br />
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And lastly, check out that super cute bunting that I got for a whopping $1.18. Even better-it's actually fabric, not paper! Woot!<br />
<br />
I've decided that the first person to leave me a comment and guess the grand total of my shopping trip (to the nearest $1, because I don't know where I left the Lowes receipt) before midnight tomorrow night can pick a resource from <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Laura-Ellison-will-Grade-For-Coffee">my TpT store</a> for FREE! (Don't forget to include your email address so I can contact you if you win!)<br />
<br />
I know, I'm the best.<br />
<br />
Now, onto that proposal.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The Proposal</h3>
<div>
Ok, let me preface this with the fact that Matthew is NOT a planner. He's just not. I'm lucky if I can get him to plan a cookout with close friends more than a day in advance.</div>
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So Matthew had been telling me for a couple months that he was going to plan a surprise day for me, because he knows that I LOVE surprises...and because he's not a planner.</div>
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<div>
Let me remind you, at his point we had been dating for about 2 weeks shy of 3 years, so this girl was itching for a proposal and he knew it. So he made it very clear that I was POSSIBLE that there could be a proposal at the end of my surprise day, but not to expect it and then be disappointed if it didn't happen. </div>
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<div>
We met up for lunch downtown at Jimmy Johns that day, and he had worked from home that morning because he had a project that he needed to finish up without distractions. All through lunch, I was trying to talk him into just taking the afternoon off so that we could hang out, but he wouldn't bite.</div>
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After procuring cookies from a nearby cookie shop, we walked back to our cars, where I made a final plea for him to take the afternoon off. </div>
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Didn't work.</div>
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Instead, he got a smirk on his face and told me to go sit in my car and wait about two minutes for an email because, and I quote, "Your surprise day starts now!"</div>
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He hopped in his car and drove off while I sat giddily waiting for the email.</div>
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<div>
I finally got the email, which had a link to a website.</div>
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I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but Matt is super smart when it comes to computer stuff. Programming, the works.</div>
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The past week or so, he had been spending a lot of time coding in the evenings, which really isn't all that uncommon. He gets caught up in a project and can't stop thinking about it until it's done.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Well, turns out that he wasn't coding for work.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You see, Matt had been spending all of that time writing a web app. (For those of you who don't speak computer geek, a web app is like an app that you would install on your iPhone, except it runs from a website instead of a standalone application.)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
So the link that was in this email was a link to the web app he had created. </div>
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<div>
A web app for a scavenger hunt. I LOVE scavenger hunts. </div>
<div>
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<div>
The scavenger hunt took me all around town to different places that were significant to our relationship (and included features like location verification to make sure I was where I said I was).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
And since I'm a bit of a geek, I took screen shots of each step. (And I'm really glad that I did!) Since it would take me forever to upload all of the screenshots onto Blogger, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WillGradeForCoffee">I've posted the album to my Facebook page</a>, so you can check out the whole scavenger hunt there.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You REALLY don't want to skip that part.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Remember, even though this totally SCREAMS proposal, I was told not to expect it, so all afternoon I was trying to convince myself to not even CONSIDER it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://distilleryimage2.s3.amazonaws.com/7caf7e48dd0611e19a8c22000a1c9e37_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage2.s3.amazonaws.com/7caf7e48dd0611e19a8c22000a1c9e37_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a>So after the scavenger hunt, I got all dressed up for our dinner date. We went to a pretty fancy restaurant in town that we like to go to for our anniversary, Valentine's day, and other important events.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
During dinner, he told me that he had a couple ideas for things we could do after dinner, but he hadn't decided which one he wanted to do.</div>
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I was convinced that the planning had ended and that he was simply winging it. Sigh.</div>
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<div>
After we finished eating, Matt decided that we needed to have dessert. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I don't turn down dessert.</div>
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<a href="http://distilleryimage2.s3.amazonaws.com/0f758e5cdd0711e19b5b1231381b21c5_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage2.s3.amazonaws.com/0f758e5cdd0711e19b5b1231381b21c5_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a></div>
<div>
He then told me that we needed to kill a little time before our next activity, so we slowly ate dessert, and then went for a walk around Central Park (not the New York one...). After meandering aimlessly through the park and failing in our attempts to take a picture of ourselves, we finally headed toward the car.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After we got in the car, he pulled out a blindfold that he told me I had to wear on the way to our next location.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Now let me preface this with the fact that I do NOT like not being able to see. That's the main reason why I don't like haunted houses. I actually LIKE being able to see where I'm going-it freaks me out if I can't. I apparently never conveyed that to him. Whoops.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
So the whole way there, I'm bugging him about taking off the blindfold and whining about how I hate not being able to see. You guys, I was paying attention to every turn trying to figure out where the heck we were going. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Apparently I did a pretty good job, too. I found our later that we took a few trips through some parking lots to throw me off. (I knew we didn't have any roads that curvy in town!)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZK25I-gu224?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe>We finally park at the mystery location and Matt comes around to help me out of the car (and I'm still really wanting to take that blindfold off). We walk around the car, and then up 3 stairs (NOT cool while blindfolded) into this building.</div>
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<div>
As we walk in, I can hear on of our songs playing...go ahead and click play. You'll want the soundtrack for this one. I'll wait.</div>
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I'm totally clueless as to where we are, there's a musty smell like an old building, but I just can't figure out where we are.</div>
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He leads me into a room that has a concrete or tile floor, and then onto carpet. We dance around for a few minutes (still blindfolded, sigh). </div>
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Then he takes off the blindfold and I'm...</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
In my classroom which he and some of our friends had decorated. They had strung lights from the ceiling-he had been waiting for it to get dark. They had taken one of my rugs and put it in the middle of the room and moved one of my tables to the middle which had the ring box.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And then another one of our songs played...you know the drill.</div>
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Yup, that's right-he proposed in my classroom. I know. Gets me choked up, too.</div>
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After I said 'yes,' he walked over to the door and asked if we should go see everyone-our friends who had helped decorate had been sitting down the hall in the computer lab the whole time. And apparently, one of them recorded a video of me walking into the building blindfolded, you know, when I was complaining (oops).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Of course, orchestrating a proposal at school, during the summer, and at night required some collaboration. Apparently my principal was in on it as well as our district's head of MIS.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Yup.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Turns out that Matthew can be a bit of a planner after all.</div>
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<br /></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-82275092067133645042012-08-02T08:50:00.001-05:002012-08-02T08:50:33.195-05:00Just a quick update...So I'm off to spend a few more hours in my classroom this morning (hopefully with some coffee in tow), but I just wanted to remind you to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WillGradeForCoffee?ref=hl">become a fan on Facebook</a> so that you can get all sorts of little mini-updates! My classroom is finally starting to come together, so I think my Facebook page would be an excellent place to maybe give a few little sneak peeks at my classroom before my big reveal (don't you agree?), and you KNOW that you're dying to see my masterpiece.<br />
<br />
It also occurred to be last night that I never told you how Matt proposed! (How could I have possibly forgotten to tell you about that?!) So, to fix that major error, I'm planning on posting about that sometime soon (maybe tonight?).<br />
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So hop on over to my Facebook page and Like it, and I'll try to pull together a post about the proposal for later today!<br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-64241560163058839522012-07-30T22:49:00.000-05:002012-07-30T22:49:49.391-05:00Monday Made It/Wedding Planning/Other Assorted StuffSo...I have a problem.<br />
<br />
I'm super excited about being able to get back into my room and being able to start decorating and putting the room back together, but when I actually get there...<br />
<br />
I don't feel like working anymore.<br />
<br />
Ok, so that probably has a lot to do with the fact that it was 88 in my classroom today, but still. I have so much to get done. And it's not that I'm really crunched for time yet, so my motivation is a bit lacking.<br />
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I know, I know, I make no sense.<br />
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So I've been keeping pretty busy with wedding planning and setting up my classroom. The wedding is almost planned, I just have to order the bouquets, pick a flower girl dress, convince the guys to finally go get fitted for tuxes, and start putting the decorations together for the reception (though they have been ordered).<br />
<br />
Wedding planning tip:<br />
Flowers are INSANELY expensive. I mean, seriously, $175 for a relatively ugly fresh bouquet?! You ARE kidding, right?! They die! And wilt! But, I seriously have a thing against fake flowers. I know, it's petty, but I just don't like 'em.<br />
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Solution: Bouquets of DRIED flowers. Genius, right?! They don't wilt, they don't need water, and they can't die because they're already dead! Oh, and did I mention that I can get all 5 of the bridesmaid bouquets and mine for less than it would cost me to get ONE fresh bouquet?! I call that, my friends, a wedding planning win.<br />
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Go team.<br />
<br />
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I'm going to attempt to finish this post quickly so I can actually claim a Monday Made It (for once)! I never make it in on time. Sigh.<br />
<br />
So. Teri and I have been trying to figure out a way to handle school supplies this year. We've tried having the kids keep them at their desks, we've tried collecting them and only handing out the supplies when they're needed, and without fail, the supplies mysteriously vanish into thin air. Mass chaos ensues.<br />
<br />
We've both decided to try supply boxes this year. Each student will have a plastic shoebox sized tub with his or her number on it to keep supplies in. But, the supply boxes will be stored on a shelf and will only be gotten out when we actually NEED the supplies. So there shouldn't be crayons, scissors, markers, glue, or any other distractions in their desks. And, in theory, they shouldn't "disappear."<br />
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Well you know me, I can't have boring labels or ugly tubs.<br />
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Duh.<br />
<br />
Lucky for me, Target had the shoebox tubs on sale last week, so I got 30 of them for less than $30. And, they're that awesome hot red to match my crate seats. And that's what I call a school supply win.<br />
<br />
So I set to work Sunday afternoon on some awesome labels for my boxes. And then, I laminated them using my handy dandy new laminator (thank you credit card points for making that a totally free purchase).<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage8.s3.amazonaws.com/6902f696da9411e1840e1231381069cc_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="200" src="http://distilleryimage8.s3.amazonaws.com/6902f696da9411e1840e1231381069cc_6.jpg" width="200" /></a>Pretty cute, right?<br />
<br />
They look really wrinkly in the picture, but I promise they aren't.<br />
<a href="http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/90047b26da9311e1a2fe22000a1e8a58_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="200" src="http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/90047b26da9311e1a2fe22000a1e8a58_6.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
I wouldn't be able to handle that.<br />
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At all.<br />
<br />
So I used some glue dots (which are pretty much my favorite thing EVER) and stuck those puppies to my glorious boxes.<br />
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<a href="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/a34a1574da9311e1ae7122000a1e86bb_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="200" src="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/a34a1574da9311e1ae7122000a1e86bb_6.jpg" width="200" /></a>And they look pretty darn awesome.<br />
<br />
<br />
Not that I'm even remotely biased or anything.<br />
<br />
Oh, and I posted the labels on <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Numbered-Supply-Box-Labels-black-background">my TpT store</a>. And they're free for a few more days. Just so you know.<br />
<br />
And I may have also posted some pretty awesome <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/PBIS-Classroom-Expectation-Posters-Zebra">PBIS expectation posters</a>. Which are also free right now.<br />
<a href="http://distilleryimage1.s3.amazonaws.com/5a311b48da9411e1acff22000a1e8b23_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="200" src="http://distilleryimage1.s3.amazonaws.com/5a311b48da9411e1acff22000a1e8b23_6.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
In other news, I lost my desk today. I swear it was there a couple weeks ago. Sigh.<br />
<br />
<br />
It'll show up eventually.<br />
<br />
I've gotten most of my bulletin boards covered/bordered, but I GROSSLY overbought my border.<br />
<br />
You see, I recall using 5 packs of border when I covered my back board two years ago. And I planned on covering it and the board at the front of the room that is identical in size. And I still wanted to have some for the hallway board. So you can imagine how excited I was to find a listing on Amazon for 16 packs of zebra border for $42!<br />
<br />
Then I started covering my boards.<br />
<br />
After I finished the first one, the one that I SWEAR used 5 packs two years ago, I had only used 2 packs and about 3 strips from a third pack.<br />
<br />
Oops.<br />
<br />
So now I have this INSANE surplus of zebra print border. ...Anyone want to buy it off of me? Sigh.<br />
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I must say, even though they have nothing on them yet, the boards look AWESOME.<br />
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But my room is still a mess, so I'll show you those later.<br />
<br />
Ummm...what else was I going to tell you?<br />
<br />
Oh!<br />
<br />
I finally gave in and decided to create a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WillGradeForCoffee">Facebook page</a> since I haven't really had the time to commit to big posts lately. So Will Grade for Coffee is now on Facebook. You should probably like it.<br />
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I also got approval from my principal today to start doing the Daily 5 this year. Super excited!<br />
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Now I just have to find time to finish reading the book. Oops.<br />
<br />
Did I mention that Matt and I had our engagement shoot this weekend? The fabulous <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alida-Duff-Sullivan-Photography/60626298647">Alida Duff Sullivan</a> is our official engagement/wedding photographer and was awesome enough to give us a sneak peek at some of the shots! We were SO lucky that it was only in the upper 80s on Saturday (isn't is sad that the upper 80s seem cool now?), so we weren't all sweaty and gross. Definitely awesome.<br />
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So on that note, I will leave you will our awesome sneak peek!<br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-18839467667355857082012-07-24T09:38:00.001-05:002012-07-24T09:38:12.862-05:00It's. So. HOT!Alright guys, I'm off to work in my classroom. Without air conditioning. And it's 9:30 and already 90...with a heat index of 108. This should be fun, right?<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I (finally) finished up a new resource which I'll share with you later today. Technically, it's listed in TpT already, but of course I chose to upload files during their down time last night, so the details are all there, but the files aren't. Whoops. I'll be taking care of that little snafu this afternoon.<br />
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Also, I've been thinking about starting a Will Grade for Coffee Facebook page to help fill in all of the gaps between blog posts. Thoughts?<br />
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With that, I'm pretty sure the paint touch ups that I had to do to finish up my zebra chair are probably dry by now (the only advantage of this heat), so I should probably go reattach the seat and get to work before working in my classroom becomes an incident similar to my one and only hot yoga class. Wish me luck (and if I haven't resurfaced by this afternoon, I may be passed out in a corner of my classroom, sprawled out in a puddle of sweat. You people with air conditioning have it so good. Sigh.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-64746004895004805092012-07-16T22:40:00.002-05:002012-07-16T22:40:22.489-05:00Wedding planning and a magical VolkswagonHey guys! I know I've been MIA for awhile now and I must say, I miss you guys! I have so much to share with you, but with all this wedding planning, I have been BEYOND busy!<br />
<br />
We've gotten a TON accomplished, and I got approval from HR to take the week off after our wedding so we can take our honeymoon, which is AWESOME! I've got my wedding dress, and I'd love to tell you all about it, but Matthew has been SUPER nosy, and I can't risk it. (I've even had to change the pass code on my phone so he can't sneak a peek at the pictures!)<br />
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We have gotten SO much done in just over two weeks! I have a dress, we've ordered bridesmaid dresses, we have a ceremony and reception site, have a deposit down for ceremony chairs, decided on a caterer and a photographer, lined up a DJ, ordered Matt's wedding band, reordered Matt's wedding band (since it was 105 when he was sized and his fingers were swollen-didn't think that one through), decided on decor and favors, decided fresh flowers are WAY too expensive, decided dried flowers are brilliant, adopted an awesome maid of honor who already had my bachelorette party an a wedding shower planned, finished the guest list ordered invitations and RSVP cards, tasted a sample cake, decided on processional, recessional, and first dance songs...yup, we've been busy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhiQgOumAL6vo4fbAru6ztvoJ1Z36by-s9Qkes3QzdJ5f22uoIu4Az0HG9NEXucou1DP45L-bbGExWCir5knWav2q1jCMsCDMLWH0UWguVpJ8fpbx15uYviE4wFdpgQZMNfVCLHLk_bY/s1600/jetta1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhiQgOumAL6vo4fbAru6ztvoJ1Z36by-s9Qkes3QzdJ5f22uoIu4Az0HG9NEXucou1DP45L-bbGExWCir5knWav2q1jCMsCDMLWH0UWguVpJ8fpbx15uYviE4wFdpgQZMNfVCLHLk_bY/s320/jetta1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Oh-I did get in a little fender bender following some bridesmaid shopping Saturday-another lady and I backed into each other in a parking lot. Didn't do ANY damage to her car...my poor Jetta didn't fare quite as well as the SUV. My poor baby...<br />
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I was pretty bummed out about this-especially since we had had such a great day shopping.<br />
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And, Matt and I decided that we weren't going to get her (yes, my car is a her) fixed until after the wedding since we're trying to save money.<br />
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This kind of killed me inside. I hated the idea of my pretty little car having to drive around with a dent in her bumper.<br />
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Well, God must have been simply testing my resolve, because when I went to show my dad the damage the next morning, well, I'll let the picture speak for itself.<br />
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Do you see the dent?<br />
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You don't?!<br />
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That's because it magically vanished overnight! No joke. When I got home Saturday night-giant dent. When I went outside Sunday morning-no dent. Needless to say, I was ecstatic! There are still a few scratches, but heck, I can handle a few scratches as opposed to a giant dent! HUGE RELIEF!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrS4tW_bZcY8ejJ75iavpdflc8-Ios_yDE39GSo0WpLqWsGHIBuOqkda-gg8IsQGoBydLUAxevnmQ5vfqhouqyCv9CNfNl_VFfU1pnwop6B0hq1Atpy0C48QhhwWiQmEl89BP07Eu8bpI/s1600/dresses.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrS4tW_bZcY8ejJ75iavpdflc8-Ios_yDE39GSo0WpLqWsGHIBuOqkda-gg8IsQGoBydLUAxevnmQ5vfqhouqyCv9CNfNl_VFfU1pnwop6B0hq1Atpy0C48QhhwWiQmEl89BP07Eu8bpI/s1600/dresses.png" /></a>Oh! And the bridesmaid dresses that we decided on?<br />
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Super cute, right?!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeV1peDD7G9QOL0KUPzzLcTWnauPjmjaVPaVy8PHYjSablpwuFP7Molm3a83m_LvTrNkdbEd3W-komtss2g0GwKcVZx_UILT-S8QfgqOjvRvOuJg23L93AE2RD_so6kQ8xpg2ZVXV5R0/s1600/flowers.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeV1peDD7G9QOL0KUPzzLcTWnauPjmjaVPaVy8PHYjSablpwuFP7Molm3a83m_LvTrNkdbEd3W-komtss2g0GwKcVZx_UILT-S8QfgqOjvRvOuJg23L93AE2RD_so6kQ8xpg2ZVXV5R0/s200/flowers.png" width="200" /></a>With these flowers?<br />
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And maybe a turquoise necklace?<br />
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My girls are going to look good!<br />
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By the way-fastest bridesmaid dress trip ever! We had everyone in their size, approved the dress, and orders placed within 20 minutes.<br />
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It. Was. Awesome.<br />
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I'm being beckoned by Matthew, so I should go for now.<br />
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But tomorrow-tomorrow I'm getting back in my classroom! I'm SUPER excited!!!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-17222801320485231852012-07-05T19:25:00.001-05:002012-07-05T19:25:09.799-05:00Holy moly-we're really doing this!Well, it's official-the wedding is set for October 7th! Eeek!<br />
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I tried on my first wedding dresses today! Crazy!<br />
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And I may have found it. Maybe. Were going to another place tomorrow, but I did put a deposit to hold a dress that I tried on today-it wasn't what I thought I wanted, but Matt's cousin picked it out and I loved it!<br />
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We're going to check out another store tomorrow to see if they have anything similar (because the place we went to today didn't have anything else like it), because my sister liked it, but just wasn't sure that it was THE dress.<br />
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Wish us luck!<br />
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In other news, we're trying to find a honeymoon destination. We're thinking something tropical, possibly all inclusive, and fairly reasonable flights. <br />
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Ideas?<br />
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We've been looking on Groupon and LivingSocial, but the airfare is killing us!<br />
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Oh, and did you catch my guest blog post over at Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher? (I'd link up, but my phone wont let me!) Amber was cool enough to let me guest blog today-head over there to hear about all of the wedding planning that we've done in the last week and you can pick up a freebie that you might have missed the first time I offered it!<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMP7kx-A_Gff91yFTRP9ABitIIE3dIQ4QLuBbkBptUq02lp6-BvNIbOp5R-yrnV2pt4YAd-fMp5N7SyRdddiUaMZ-_XtvXqINMYy9wOqQ1zAaT4nm75P2eomnE2rltA6xER52ArEHbcDA/s640/blogger-image--1414578626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMP7kx-A_Gff91yFTRP9ABitIIE3dIQ4QLuBbkBptUq02lp6-BvNIbOp5R-yrnV2pt4YAd-fMp5N7SyRdddiUaMZ-_XtvXqINMYy9wOqQ1zAaT4nm75P2eomnE2rltA6xER52ArEHbcDA/s640/blogger-image--1414578626.jpg" /></a></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-56491185109222336312012-06-30T02:50:00.003-05:002012-06-30T02:50:33.108-05:00Two BIG Annoucements!Believe it or not, I'm keeping this one short and sweet. (I know, I've said that before, and it never happens.) But I've got two BIG announcements (Ok, one is WAY bigger than the other, at least to me!)<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Announcement</span> #1<br />
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<a href="http://tothesquareinch.wordpress.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEghPbv-9UAnL8OkofYrp0Q4a4ZvrfPvAEgEOOMmxjEP-ro8SSYJC9nzQOoN1vhyB9ZztcQFCCY-7WvvBYtOj911jVk47VcNzEkfN51scGTnDMJu-WaFoyKxs-y8OAwqrwIM8ii7YtXcg/s1600/button1.jpg" /></a>Congratulations to Kate at <a href="http://tothesquareinch.wordpress.com/">To The Square Inch</a>-she's the winner of my 100 Follower Giveaway and lots of fun goodies!<br />
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Yay!!!<br />
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Also, make sure to check out her blog (it's one of my faves!)<br />
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<br />
Now, on to my next announcement (and my personal favorite)!<br />
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Announcement #2<br />
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Matthew proposed tonight (last night?)!!! We're officially engaged!!! I'm super excited, and let me tell you, that was a proposal for the books. SERIOUSLY awesome. But I'm tired and don't have the energy to type it all up (and that would make this a LOOONNNGGG post)-but you better believe that it's coming.<br />
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Until then, I'll leave you with a couple pictures from this evening-the BEST night ever.<br />
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<br /></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4884357272557388769.post-12271209078459319682012-06-27T22:35:00.000-05:002012-06-27T22:52:43.023-05:00Crafting, tutoring, and summer shopping!I think I have a problem.<br />
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A craft supply problem.<br />
<br />
Yesterday I went through and cleaned out some stuff from my craft supply stashes and...well...there was A LOT of scrapbook paper in there. Except...I don't scrapbook. I haven't scrapbooked since high school. Which is why it doesn't really make sense for me to have 5 pads of scrapbook paper.<br />
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And don't get me started on all of the letter stickers that I found. Holy moly.<br />
<br />
Here's the thing, if I walk into say, JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby, I feel an instinctive need to gather craft supplies for a project. Half of the time I don't even have a project in mine, just a rough, "This would be cool to use for something, someday."<br />
<br />
Terrible idea.<br />
<br />
And to top it off, none of the paper that I've collected will go with my classroom next year. So I guess my kiddos will be making super snazzy thank you notes for random stuff throughout the year.<br />
<br />
Like for iPads if our Donors Choose project gets funded-wanna help with that? There's a link on the right.<br />
<br />
:)<br />
<br />
I was so proud of myself on Monday. I had gathered all of the necessary supplies (and then some, sigh) to make my super awesome teacher toolbox (you know, the one that everyone and their cat has been making lately). AND, I just knew that for once, I was going to be able to join the Monday Made It link up party.<br />
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And then, I didn't get it finished. Because I <strike>lost</strike> misplaced my label for Sharpies.<br />
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And come on, you have to have a label for Sharpies.<br />
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So I told myself, "Tuesday, I WILL finish it Tuesday." All I have to do is reprint the label.<br />
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Except, I only had 2 pieces of the paper that I used for my labels.<br />
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And only scraps were left.<br />
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So I was going to have to figure out some complicated way of printing perfectly onto that little scrap.<br />
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"Too complicated for a Tuesday," I thought.<br />
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So I didn't finish it.<br />
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To my credit, I did print that label today, but I've decided the labels should probably be laminated before I attach them to my drawers.<br />
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And, of course, I don't have a laminator lying around the house. (Though I would happily accept donations toward the "Laura Needs a Laminator Fund")<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Seriously though, it's going to knock your socks off. If you're wearing socks. I</span> REALLY want to show it to you (because it looks AWESOME), but I can't show you something that's not done yet!<br />
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Sometimes I frustrate myself.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://distilleryimage7.s3.amazonaws.com/c0bfb818c09211e1a39b1231381b7ba1_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage7.s3.amazonaws.com/c0bfb818c09211e1a39b1231381b7ba1_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a></div>Anywho, I met with my future 2nd grader for the first time today. We worked on handwriting for a bit; she's a lefty with some sloppy handwriting. Our writing goal for the time being is to make her writing worthy of writing a letter to a Disney princess. Have you seen this on Pinterest? Apparently, if kids write letters to Disney characters, they get an autographed picture back from the character. Cool, right?<br />
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She wanted to know how I talked to the Princess.<br />
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Man, I wish I was good at making stuff up on the fly.<br />
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I told her I heard about it online. I should have said that I'm Tinkerbell's BFF.<br />
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After we practiced our handwriting for awhile, we went and painted ceramics at a local place.<br />
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She painted "Sparkles the Cat." She decided that she will be calling her "Sparkle-icious" instead.<br />
(A shiny gold star to the person who can figure out how to spell Sparkleicious. That just looks silly.)<br />
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My sister met up with us and painted a caterpillar.<br />
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Me? Oh, come on now-isn't it obvious?<br />
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I'm working on a new coffee mug, of course.<br />
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Go ahead, get the "duh" out of your system.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/9be1c3d8c0ba11e1a92a1231381b6f02_6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="306px" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The orange part is teeny, tiny masking tape. How cute is that?!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
I'll wait.<br />
<br />
Because I'm a perfectionist, they both finished and I'm probably not even halfway done.<br />
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Hmmm...do you think there's any chance that at 13 year old boy would want to go paint ceramics with me tomorrow? Yeah, probably not.<br />
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Here are a couple pictures of my work in progress-hopefully I don't screw it up. I have a tendency to do that with painting projects...<br />
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I'll show you the final project when I get it finished and have it fired.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVPiro8nZNjBmdNFkUyQKO2Vyxx6YDhn_lZ9aGKB-m44jYltptUoZ18zdXas42GkPyHVmOPVT5Mq6vSaDmh6w756917hOfC523TNE0OjOjHKLZruudjvAc4e-befrjihQnIV-_9k2qF4/s1600/summershopping.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVPiro8nZNjBmdNFkUyQKO2Vyxx6YDhn_lZ9aGKB-m44jYltptUoZ18zdXas42GkPyHVmOPVT5Mq6vSaDmh6w756917hOfC523TNE0OjOjHKLZruudjvAc4e-befrjihQnIV-_9k2qF4/s1600/summershopping.png" /></a>Since I'm not linking up with Made It Monday, I'll link up with the Summer Shopping linky party hosted by <a href="http://www.ladybugsteacherfiles.com/2012/06/summer-shopping-linky-party-june.html">Ladybug's Teacher Files</a>!<br />
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I'll admit it, at the end of every school year, I say that I don't really need to get anything new for my room, but seriously, who am I kidding?<br />
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I L-O-V-E getting new stuff for my classroom.<br />
<br />
You've already seen my <a href="http://willgradeforcoffee.blogspot.com/2012/06/successful-diy-day.html">new chair</a> and my<a href="http://willgradeforcoffee.blogspot.com/2012/06/projects-canoeing-awards-etc.html"> crate seats</a>, and truthfully, I have a lot more stuff on my "to make" list, but I just haven't been horribly motivated recently.<br />
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Shopping, however, has been another story.<br />
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So without further ado, my recent Summer Shopping finds!<br />
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First off, the black body pillow that I have in my reading area attracts lint and fuzz like crazy. Which of course drives me crazy.<br />
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Solution: Super cute zebra pillow case (and it's nice and soft!)<br />
<a href="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/cbcd0d8ebf3211e1abb01231382049c1_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/cbcd0d8ebf3211e1abb01231382049c1_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a><br />
Then (because I have a SERIOUS Target addiction), I was wandering through the home decor section and found this awesome thought bubble white board. But here's the kicker-it lights up!!!<br />
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I know. Try not to squeal too much.<br />
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I'm usually a clearance shopper when it comes to school stuff, but for $15, I couldn't pass it up. And you've all seen that awesome Pinterest idea about using a touch light to remind students that you aren't available while you're working in small groups. How perfect will this be?! I can even add a little message!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage10.s3.amazonaws.com/6ac90744bf3311e1a92a1231381b6f02_6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="306px" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Off | On</td></tr></tbody></table>I'm pretty excited about that one. Obviously.<br />
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Then, while I was at JoAnn's (looking for scrapbook paper, sigh), I found these bad boys.<br />
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Those Command hooks aren't cheap, but they are oh so very useful.<br />
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Get this: Not only were they $1.98 on clearance, but clearance was marked an additional 50% off.<br />
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Yup, you did that math right-I got them for a buck each. Naturally, I stocked up.<br />
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But I have BIG plans for those little hooks. Big plans, I say.<br />
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But that's a topic for another day.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://distilleryimage2.s3.amazonaws.com/bca0aeb0bf3211e1a92a1231381b6f02_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage2.s3.amazonaws.com/bca0aeb0bf3211e1a92a1231381b6f02_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a>Then I hit Dollar Tree.<br />
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Dollar Tree is awesome. Seriously.<br />
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I spent $20 and got a TON of stuff for next year. (You know, because everything's $1)<br />
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Check it out.<br />
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That's 6 stacking bins, 5 locker style bins, 4 fun pens, an expandable file (because I promised Matthew I would keep my receipts for school stuff for my taxes this year), a roll of masking tape, and a pack of foam paint rollers (for another project).<br />
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Not bad, right?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/396d4fd0bf3211e1af7612313813f8e8_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" class="instagramimage" height="306px" src="http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/396d4fd0bf3211e1af7612313813f8e8_6.jpg" width="306px" /></a></div><br />
Whew. That's a lot. And I just realized that I need to get some math practice together for my former student to work on tomorrow. Bummer.<br />
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But I'm planning on taking him geocaching tomorrow. Wish me luck. I've never done it before.<br />
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I'm getting sleepy, so I'm going to wrap this up, but don't forget--only a couple more days left to enter my 100 Follower Giveaway!<br />
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And at the rate things are going, it looks like I'm going to hit 200 followers before this one ends-which is seriously AMAZING!<br />
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I never thought that my little blog would reach 100 followers, so seeing all of this growth the last week has been super awesome-you guys are the best!<br />
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You know what, I'll make a deal with you.<br />
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Ready?<br />
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If I hit 200 followers before the giveaway ends, I'll make myself make one of the projects on my "Future Teachers Pay Teachers Product List" and give it to you guys FOR FREE. Yup, everyone will get it! But that's only if I hit 200 followers before the giveaway is up.<br />
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So if you haven't entered the giveaway yet-what are you waiting for?!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://willgradeforcoffee.blogspot.com/2012/06/time-for-giveaway.html"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIc6aSZSAwD6SwfqbUb_ls2fHFaG3UBNizMkKsfKYecEgMPQf_CgdMCWMlvNcoRq_dQbBsGe-7yjOfcGK0GGCfdQABOt4rjz-VrJslNFQDzrtbp70hc6Z3T4GN7Q7COs4ZAZlurCJfag/s320/100+Follower+Giveaway.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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And make sure that you get those extra entries by blogging about the giveaway!<br />
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Matthew just got back from his late night ice cream cone run, so I should probably go and actually spend some time with him! :)<br />
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Adios!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCJG6c4HLwMv27zXWJ6LodTvxspl_7qnXTPD62hft_4dxokX9y0fAAYnwEBGB1oC04uTgU94SfmtkSHgw5XIvEWxN8p9pXSD6W-IZU2lWqeQpPguDTm6m4IhjufQhhfLt0iPuo93DTG4/s1600/new+blog+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCJG6c4HLwMv27zXWJ6LodTvxspl_7qnXTPD62hft_4dxokX9y0fAAYnwEBGB1oC04uTgU94SfmtkSHgw5XIvEWxN8p9pXSD6W-IZU2lWqeQpPguDTm6m4IhjufQhhfLt0iPuo93DTG4/s320/new+blog+signature.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"></div><a href="http://instagr.am/p/MZfoXaAoIT/"></a><a href="http://instagr.am/p/MZfoXaAoIT/"></a><a href="http://instagr.am/p/MZfoXaAoIT/"></a>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03478443746342021331noreply@blogger.com5