New Design!

I really am in awe of my fellow bloggers.  Especially Kinder Loves!  Check out my new blog design!  Look up, down, and all around.  She is truly awesome!  I was blown away. I cannot thank her enough for putting this together.  Check out her blog here!

I am working on a lot of things.... but most importantly routines!  We are on day 15 of our days in school for my kinders.  I am loving it!  We have a trials but they make every day so exciting!  I can always say "I love my job!"  How lucky am I?

I wanted to tell you about my goodbye routine.  For a couple years I would just give my kiddos high-fives and say "Have a great day, see you tomorrow my friends!" (I call all my kiddo's my friends, I feel it helps form a connection...)  but now I am letting the kiddos choose an H for the day!

H?  What the H?  haha... opps, had to!!! Sorrryyy....

Handshake

High-Five

or

HUG!

So when my kiddos line up for the end of the day they choose their H for the day!  I love tht 90% of my kids want a hug at the end of the day.

How do you say bye at the end?

I hope you are having a great Tuesday friends!!

Five For Friday!

I have completed my first FULL week of school, and man was I exhausted every single night.  YAWN!  Is it 8:30...can I go to sleep...puhhlease?!

1.  I finished my first full week, as I stated above, haha... but I am so happy!  It was a rough start, and I forget that every year how much work it truly is.  I hate to sound like a broken record but, whoa!  They come a long way!!  Kindergarteners are very dependent on their teachers...but I have so much faith that they will go to the moon and back by then end of the year.

2.  I loved (this letter) that a Mom from Sandy's Hook terrible tragedy wrote.  Kudos to her.  Thank you.

3.  Fall is kicking in here in Wisconsin!  I am wearing socks, pants, and a hoodie!  I love this weather!

4.  I loved having all my forms for open house in a folder with a checklist on the front of what parents should have ready at the beginning of the year.  Must. Do. Every. Year.

 

5.  We live very close to a little waterpark in a park...  At the end of the year after the kiddos have swam they allow any and every dog to come in for the doggie swim!  Our pup Max LOVED it!

I hope your weekend is filled with relaxation, recuperation, fun, family, and sleep!  Ahh!!  Goodnight everyone!  (Go Packers!)

September Currently

I have spent the last couple weeks prepping, cutting, hanging, laminating, moving, packing, unpacking....  Getting ready for tomorrow.  Here is my September currently!  Linking up with Oh' Boy 4th Grade

Listening:  To my hubby catch up on Breaking Bad, Gold Rush, etc.  He is enjoying his day off...  Hopefully I can watch my RHOC after, haha :)

Loving:  That I have today off and a 4 day week with my kiddos...

Thinking:   Tomorrow is our first day back!  EEEK!   22 Kinders.  That's the smallest class size I have had in 5 years!  Last year it was 26, four less is a lot!!  Then after school I have the Mumford & Sons concert to go to!  I hope I can stat awake, oh dear!

Wanting:   New clothes please!  I went yesterday but I was disappointed in the sales and the clothes.  Maybe next weekend!

Needing:  need I say more?

<3:  I really want to stick to my workout schedule, eat right, and live healthy.  I had been doing so well, and then vacation happened.  I am back on track and need to stay on!

Family Vacation = Learning New Math Games!

Hey Friends!  Happy August!!  Every summer my family and I rent a cabin in "Up-North" Wisconsin.  It is a blast....  Laying out, sleeping in, eating great food, family time, water sports, boating, fishing, biking, you name it!   

One thing my Mom has always been fond of is playing games after dinner....  We love playing and of course a little competition.  This year I thought a few of the games I played would be great to use in the classroom during small group time!  So here is what we played:

Pass the Pigs

So much fun!!  I was so confused at first but after seeing a couple people play I caught on fast...  Math! Skip counting!  Pigs!  What more can you want!!

Instead of dice, you roll two cute pink piglets, and you gain or lose points depending on how the critters land. For example, if both land on all fours, called a "double trotter," you get 20 points; if they land lying opposite each other, called a "Pig Out," you gain no points and cede your turn.

Farkle

Roll the dice and try and get alike rolls add up your dice depending on what you rolled....  Get up to 10,000!  Fun game to play.

I loved thinking that I could easily implement this games with my higher level kiddos...  I think this is great!  Add this to your wish list teachers! :)

Favorite Pin Friday!!

I am linking up with one of my favorite blogs.... First Grade Parade...

Love this idea for guided reading seats in my classroom:

How about some fruit loops?

I have loved this pin since day 1.  I use it now every day in my guided reading groups.  Goodbye magnetic letters, shuffling through bags, etc., time for post it notes!!

Random Home:   Love this organizing idea for tank tops!!

Lastly....

my first pin=

Check out my pins here!!   Later dudes!

Great Giveaway!!

Awesome giveaway!!   I love her site, just nominated her for the Liebster Award.  Check out her giveaway here:

It's okay to sit! But I'm also Jumping for Joy!

Hey folks!  I am in that mode where if I sit too long around the house guilt starts to weigh me down....  My head says.... "No Kelly, get up, get outside, check off that to do list!" and the other hand it's saying; "So tired, take a nap, relax...."

What to do!!  Well, I have been teaching summer reading support to Kindergartens going into first grade Monday - Friday 8:00-12:00, I usually come home eat lunch and then do errands, work out, etc.  But summer is treating me really well.   I need to get my butt in gear (or not) and get blogging more!

Then along come Erin from It's "OWL" good in Kindergarten.  She is great, a fellow Wisconsin blogger, and has some sweet stuff!  She left a comment on my blog saying she was nomination me, yes me, who me? yeah?  WHAT? for the Liebster award!

Here are the rules that go along with the Liebster Award:

- Link back to the blog that nominated you.

- Nominate 5 to 11 blogs that have less than 200 followers.

- Answer the questions posted to you from your nominator.

- Share 11 random facts about yourself.

- Create 11 questions for your nominees.

- Contact your nominees via a comment or an email.

Here we go!  These are the questions that Erin had for me:

1.  What made you decide to become a teacher?

      I started working at a camp when I was 15.  I loved helping, teaching and working with children.  It didn't feel like "work" at all!!!
2.  What is your favorite subject/skill to teach?

       I love to teach readers workshop and integrate technology!

3.  If you could take a trip anywhere, where would you go?

       Australia and New Zealand
4.  What is one school supply that you must have?

         Skinny dry erase markers
5.  What song(s) get you through the day?

          Love listening to Kings of Leon in my own time.... 
6.  How would you describe a perfect teaching day?

        No kids absent, no missing folders, no kiddos are sick, we are all on task during daily 5/whole group time and math centers.  And I would see the lightbulb go off!  Everyone leaving with a smile on their face too!! :)
7.  If you could teach any grade, what would it be and why?

           I love Kindergarten and First Grade.  Both are wonderful ages!
8.  What is your favorite book?  (children's or adult)

           This is a tricky one!  Hmm... I love reading to the kiddos, especially books like; Pete the Cat, Eric Carle books, and Rainbow Fish.
9.  What is the one thing you wish you could change in education?

         Funding.
10.  How long have you been teaching?

          I will be starting my 5th year!  It has flew by!  Feels like yesterday I just started!
11.  What made you decide to start a blog?

         I started with pinterest and posted pictures, and then people kept asking me how I made this or that, I thought I should blog to share easily!  

Kinder Loves

Sarah @  Clearly Kindergarten 

Mrs. Gloudeman's  @ Behind the Scenes

Miss Mindy @ kindergarten kidlets

and...

Rachel @ Pencils and Chalk

What made you start want to blog?

Tell about your family...

What is your middle name?

What's the first thing you do when you walk into your classroom?

What grades have you taught?

Do you have any pets?

What is the funniest thing a student has said to you?

What is one teacher's tool you cannot live without?

How did you know you wanted to be a teacher?

Favorite children's book is...

Favorite music is...

opps - i forgot my 11 random facts!
1. i am the youngest of three
2. i have two older brothers
3. i used to teach snowboarding lessons
4. i was a lifeguard at a camp when I met my husband
5. i wish i could live on a lake
6.  i have a yellow lab
7. i lived in england for a year
8. i have traveled to Africa
9. my brother is very talented!
10.  I am 5'10"
11.  i wish i could travel to Australia and new Zealand   

P.S. anyone else wishing they were in Vegas for the I teach K!?  My news feed on Facebook and Blogger are blowing up.  I am jealous!!