What a Great Weekend!

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day weekend!  I know I did!

We headed a little north for the boy's family's annual Hog Roast, and we had so much fun! 

Our friends Reed and Megan came to keep us

company.  The crowd at this get together is a little....older. haha

Here are the boys, waiting out by the road for Megan to get there....

Don't they look so excited to have their picture taken?!?!?

We are serious about some food. Ha.

Still....he just does not like having his picture taken.

Silli-ness.  And at an alcohol-free event! Who knew!?!

The next day we headed back home where my sister and I made Mother's Day dinner for my mom and grandmas.  We made these chocolate chip cookie cups from Pinterest, and they turned out really great!  It took a couple of trys to get it right, but we put ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and walnuts on top, and they made for a delicious little ice cream sundae! 

I can't take the credit for this though, Lauren did most of all of the work (on the dessert at least), including helping me get the picture on Instagram!

I did make my mom a pretty awesome wreath, but I forgot to take a picture of it. 

Figures. 

I will just have to wait until I go home next to show it off!

Oh. And in case you were wondering...

JOBS WERE POSTED IN MY CORPORATION TODAY!!!

There were 14 elementary positions open...including a 2nd grade (NOT 4th grade) at my school!

******Happy Dance!!!******

I applied about 10 minutes after they were posted. 

SOOOOO excited, words cannot even express!

Wish me luck!  And prayers are good too!

Summer Bucket List

It's almost summer!  And by almost I mean 7 more days until summer!  This summer I will be working for my dad and helping my sister nanny for a family she knows, as well as working at the Salon!  And on top of that, I have so much I need to accomplish before school starts again!  So I am linking up with Hadar @ Miss Kindergarten, Teri @ A Cupcake for the Teacher, and April @ A Modern Teacher for the My Summer Bucket List Linky Party!

Get ready!  This is a long one!

 First off...find a full-time job! But you all know about that!

Click on the pics to go to my Pinterest page

Center Organization

I have centers upon centers upon centers.  They have all been tucked away somehwere on my USB drive just waiting to be printed off and used!  Well I finally got a COLOR printer, so I have been working on getting them all printed out, laminated, and bagged up for safe keeping.  Each center has a Ziploc bag that it is store in.  Up until now, I had all of them stacked in a plastic crate behind my desk.  Not good enough!

I found this idea for center organization on Pinterest and I couldn't wait to do it!  I found some really cheap storage bins of all different sizes at Big Lots so I bought up all the blue and green ones they had!  (I wasn't necessarily trying to match this exactly, but it just so happened that those colors were the only good colors they had!)  Then the next day I went to the dollar store and they had a bunch of the same colors of containers for $1!  I couldn't pass that up!  So far I have the centers organized by subject (silent e, middle sounds, ending sounds, site words, etc...).  Then I am going to organize them by catagories of The Daily Five.  I ordered a bookshelf from Wal-Mart, but it hasn't come in yet!  I can't wait to finish this though....it's going to look so good!

Pencil Cups for Sharpened and Unsharpened pencils

There is NOTHING worse than teaching a writing lesson, and then NONE of your students have sharpened pencils.  I want to have pencil cups where the students can trade there pencils in when they need a new one and put back the pencils that need to be sharpened.  The plan is for there to be a cup at each group of tables.  The group leader will pass out pencils as needed and collect the pencils and return them to the cup at the end of the lesson.  Then I can sharpen the pencils after/ before school each day, I won't have to worry about that dreaded situation ever again!

Just a side note:  Has anyone else noticed that all of a sudden all pencils are so cheaply made that they won't sharpen?!? They just break and break and break!  So annoying!

Modge Podge Clipboards

Wouldn't these be cute for centers!?  I know they probably would last very long since young kids like to pick on stuff, especially stuff they aren';t supposed to pick on, but I think I need them!  At least one for me!

Crafty Crate Seats

I think these seem so much more convenient than real chairs at these types of reading tables!  After the students are done using them, they can push them under the table so they are out of the way!  And they are cute!

Daily/ Monthly Organization

I want to have drawers for my papers for each day.  It makes a lot more sense than file folders.  The folders get too full and then they won't lay the right way and the papers fall out...blah blah blah.  This seems way easier!  I also want to have one for my materials for each month (crafts, writings, worksheets), that way I don't have a drawer full of overstuffed files!

Those are the teacher-y things I want to do. 

I actually have all of these things listed on a typed to-do list which is sitting on my desk with all of the pictures stapled to the back!

Here are the real life things I want to do!

Complete my book list which is about 10 books long!  I think I can do it!
Here are some of them: 
The Girl Who Played With Fire
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
50 Shades of Grey Series
Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow
And a few Oprah books that I can't remember the names of. 
Who desn't love a good Oprah book!?



Go to a Dave Matthews concert.  Tickets- check!  Can't wait until June 23rd!




Go to a Braves game!  Chipper's last year this year! Still working on that one...



Go to Disney World!  Tickets- check!  We are going with Kelly's whole family!

There are countless other things that I want to do too (like visit my brother and bestie in Indy, shop, sleeeeeeeeep, go on lunch dates, have a picnic, etc.) but if I named them all, I would be here forever! 

The summer will be over before we know it!

Random Squirrel Post

I have to give my friend Farley @ Oh' Boy 4th Grade for this next squirrely post.  (Her blog may be coming in very handy for me over the summer....I hope!)  You know on the movie UP where the dog always gets easily distracted and yells "SQUIRREL"?   That's how this post is going to be...a bunch of random, distracted, disconnected thoughts about my day today. 

Try to stay with me. :-) 

I was driving to the gas station today, and I saw a man driving down the road in his brand new Jeep Wrangler while eating a pink Popsicle.  Now THAT is the definition of living the dream.

Squirrel!

I worked at the Salon today, which is conveniently located a stone's throw away from Sonic.  I went to get us some tasty happy hour drinks and I DID NOT buckle up.  Rebel. 

Squirrel!

When the car hop brought me our drinks I thought it was a pregnant lady.  There were no words exchanged, and all I saw was a big, pregnant belly standing outside my car window.  Turns out it was not a pregnant lady at all, but it was in fact a man.  Oops.  He belly button was even popping out like a pregnant lady!

Squirrel!

You know the new Justin Bieber song "Boyfriend"?  Well the fourteen year old girl inside of me is LOVING that song.  Kelly and I were even talking last night about how it is very Justin Timerlake-esque.  Our little Biebs is growing up!

Squirrel!

I made various types of kabobs tonight for dinner.  I recently bought a pan to use on the grill that has little holes in it, and I thought it would work well for kabobs!  I did one with chicken, one with potatoes, one with peppers, and one with broccoli.  I was a little nervous because I had never tried grilling broccoli before, but it worked really well!  It wasn't much different than roasting it in the oven.  I will definitely be grilling it again!

Yum!

If only I had some ice cream for dessert!

That is all of the squirrels for tonight! 

Wasn't too bad was it?

Have a great weekend!

Be sure to tell your mom you love her!

Thirsty Thursday!

It's Thirsty Thursday again!  This is quickly becoming my favorite link up!  Join me with Trish @ Tales from Trish and Jenn @ Going to the Distance for a virtual happy hour!

The Best Margaritas


There is no pic of this one but it sounds delicious!  I like making my own margaritas at home sometimes, but I am not crazy about the pre-made mixes.  Especially when you try to blend them to make them frozen.  Two thumbs down.  These sound like the perfect solution!


Now I've got my drink...Let's talk!


The journey to a full time teaching position-  My goal in life (at least for the moment) is to teach Kindergarten or 1st grade.  I am so ready for this.  Not only mentally, but physically ready.  If someone were to give me a job and want me to start next week, everything would be ready to go.  I have my parent information folder, my behavior management plan, my teacher information binder, oodles and oodles of centers all organized by type and topic, etc., etc.  I feel like I have literally thought of EVERYTHING!

There was a chance that my school was going to be able to add another section of first grade next year.  There was also a chance that there was going to be another fourth grade added. 

Well our principal had his big metting today to find all of this out, and turns out there is NOT going to be another first grade, but there is going to be another fourth grade.  He wasn't sure what the plan was as far as hiring someone or moving people around, but it's hopeful I guess.  Just not the hopeful that I wanted!  But I guess beggars can't be choosers...I really want to stay at my school!!!  This is my face right now:


Only maybe not that angry.  I'm not angry, just stressed.

Ok enough about that.  I am beating a dead horse.


I am so excited for this Mother's Day weekend.  The boy's family always has a big hog roast on the Saturday before Mother's Day, and it is always a good time.  My sister and I are also cooking dinner for my mom on Sunday.  We are so excited to try some of our new Pinterest recipes!  I am hoping there will be some sort of Mother's Day link up so I can share all the wonderful things about my mom.  Not that I couldn't do that on my own, but linkys are always fun!


We are going to Holiday World today!  All of my kids have parents going except for one, so he is going to be my little buddy for the day!  We can't wait to ride all the roller coasters! 


This was a boring Thirsty Thursday post.  I must suffering from writer's block.  Or blogger's block.

Happy Thursday!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

It's Wednesday again!  I am so glad I get to link up this week.  I felt a little lost last week without letting everyone know what my favorites of the week were!  I know you guys felt lost too. ;-)

So let's link up with Jamie @ This Kind of Love and What I'm Loving Wednesday and Michelle @ The Vintage Apple and Oh So Pinteresting Wednesday! 

This week I am loving my momma!  She is my best friend, and I can only hope to be as good of a mom to my future kids as she was to us!  I especially love when we get to work out together, shop together, cook together, and have cocktails together! 

Love you mom!

I am loving that after today, there is only one Wednesday left until SUMMER!  WHOOP WHOOP!  Unfortunately, with that comes the anxiety of not knowing my fate for next year. EEK!  This morning I was having trouble breathing because I was thinking about it so much.  I can feel my chest getting splotchy as we speak!  Xanex anyone?  Just kidding (about the Xanex part).   This is supposed to be a happy post!  I am happy...just nervous.

I am loving that I am getting so organized.  I have almost all of my stuff ready to go for my interviews.  I just have bits and pieces to fill in.  I also got a great deal on storage containers at Big Lots and also at The Dollar Tree.  They are green and teal and were so cheap!  I love a good bargain!  I also got a bookcase to house all of these storage containers which I am going to use for centers.  Pics to come (once the bookcase comes in).

I am loving that my little class gets to take a trip to Holiday World on Friday!  For those of you who don't know, Holiday World is probably Indiana's best theme park.  It doesn't really compare to Cedar Point or anything, but it it still pretty fun.  The kids are so excited!

And theeeen once again...no school on Friday!  Yay for no snow!

Enough about school/work!

Here is what I am loving on Pinterest this week:

I am loving these pretty outfits!

I am loving the coral skinnys with the pop of yellow.  So pretty! 

Again with the coral!  I am best friends with this color.  I LOVE the printed skirt too!

I love this geometric-print Maxi dress!  If only I could be certain that it wouldn't be too short on me.  Ankle length dress= not so attractive.

I am loving these yummy recipes!

My sister and I are going to make these little cookie cups for dessert on Mother's Day.  They are awesome because your guests can put whatever they want in them!  Ice cream, fruit, whipped cream, etc.  I heard they can turn out disasterous though, so I'll let you know how it goes!

My sister, being the little baker that she is, made a mini-version of these Corona cupcakes with lime-cream cheese icing over the weekend.  They were mighty tasty!  I may or may not have eaten like 5 of them.  OOPS.

Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing.  I am in love with the Asian Chicken Salad at Panera!  If this is anything like that, then I am sure it's delish!

Here are some pins that I am just plain loving!

This one is for my mom.  She is currently in love with Zac Efron.  And I have to say he is pretty gorgeous.  I see a cat fight in my future (watch out mom!). Haha

Crocs-  something you will never see on my feet.

I am always planning my naps daaaaays ahead of time!  Next nap- today at 3:30.  After that, Saturday at 2:30.  Never too old for a nap!

I love waking up and feeling so well rested, then realizing that it not even close to time for your alarm to go off! 

Memories aren't made while you are sleeping!

I guess I have sleep on the brain!

And as always, I am loving my (sometimes stressful and anxiety ridden) life with a cherry on top!

Have a very Happy Wednesday!!!

Currently

It's the beginning of the month, so it's time to link up with Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade.  Here is what is going on with me currently:

Listening- To the news. 

Today is the primary election here in Indiana. Call me a bad citizen, but I don't think I'll be voting today.  I don't really think there is much to vote for.  At least that is what I'm telling myself.

Loving- LOST.

I used to watch LOST way back when it first came on.  Then it got weirder and weirder and I got busier and busier, so it got cut out of my life.  So we are currently trying to watch all of the seasons!

Thinking- I already need a nap. 

I practically just woke up and I am already sleepy!  Hopefully I just need my coffee, which brings me to the next one.

Wanting- Some coffee with my new Almond Joy creamer. 

I got this new creamer at Wal-Mart and it is quite yummy!

Needing- A cute Mother's Day craft.

I have searched and searched and I just can't find what I'm looking for.  I guess I will have to make up something on the fly!

Pageant Title- Miss Prepared.

With all of my new organization, I feel like I am ready for whatever the teaching gods decide to throw at me!  Bring it!

What are you up to currently?

Happy Tuesday!