Thank You Teachers

We have just wrapped up teacher appreciation week at our school. Our parents go above beyond to make us feel special. As I sipped my coffee this morning, I thought about all the special teachers in T's life so far. We are so thankful. 

He started with his amazing sitter, Mrs. Vicki. Then there was fun Miss Jen at the daycare and his loving pre-k teachers at High Meadows. When kindergarten rolled around, Mrs. Cardwell welcomed him with open arms. She loved him and still does. Mrs. Rudolf was his first grade teacher and celebrated his quirks. For second grade, he had Mrs. Pennington. He became a writer that year. He was growing up and she helped him do so. Now in third grade, the grade everyone warned me about, he has Mrs. Jones. She is kind and loving. He has become a reader this year. He is reading everything and anything. He loves school. This may not last forever, but I'm enjoying it while I can!

He has lots of other unofficial, official teachers, too. Coach Chaddy and Mrs. Whatley cheer him on during PE. Ms. Moe chats him up at after school care. Mrs. Kristin asks his opinions about cafeteria stuff. Ms. Alexander fosters his love of reading and his curiosity. Mr. C. encourages his crazy science ideas and he and Mrs. Kaltreider see T as the artist his. Mr. Matthews loves how T listens to his music stories and T loves the stories. Mrs. Alter and Mrs. Hill show him how to do the coolest things ever on the computer. Ms. Chandra loves him and his stories. He loves them all. He respects them. 

I know this is a bit sappy, but I am so happy he is loved. As parents, that is all we want, someone to like our kid. He is liked. He is loved. He is happy.

To all the teachers out there, the ones who say hello to my son and all of the other kids they pass in the hall, thank you. To all the teachers who are making it work after 37 grumpy emails, thank you. To all the teachers who are protecting your students from the germs while putting yourself through the ringer, thank you. For all the teachers who are tired from teaching kids all day and head home to love on your own kids, thank you.

Thank you teachers. Not just this week, not just on Valentine's Day, but everyday! Thank you! 

Teacher Reflection

A wonderful friend of mine asked me to share 3 things that I was surprised by when I started teaching. She is a professor and writer and will be speaking to seniors (future educators) and community members in the spring. She was pretty picky about her plea. She did not want any happy, frilly, foo foo stuff. "I was surprised by how much love and joy I found in teaching." NONE OF THAT the email said. She had that covered. She wanted the true surprises. The things parents, professors, the community, these college students, etc would really be surprised by. 

I made my list and it was harder than I thought. I  really am surprised by the joy teaching gives me. I am surprised almost daily. I am surprised how quickly I forget the stress/behaviors/meetings because each day is a fresh start....just like parenting. 

But I did it! I chose 3 and here they are. Let me know if you agree or what you would add!

1. Email. OH MY GOODNESS. The emails.

I receive at least 20 emails every.single.day. to my school account. Some are county, some are ads, some are parents, some are team, some are sweet and some are never read. The emails, while convenient and much easier to track than the paper notes of yesteryear, can be quite overwhelming. Especially if you sometimes respond in your head and forget to send the actual email. :) 

2. Not everyone will like you. 

It does not matter what you do or who you are. You simply will not be able to please everyone all the time. I know this is a life thing, but maybe teachers think we can. You know, because teachers have magical powers. We think we can make everyone happy and that is exactly why I would really like for our future teachers to hear this one over and over. Just do your very best every day. 

3.  Stress eating is real. 

This is actual footage of my first year vs the current year. HA! Seriously though, you need a stress outlet and you can't let it be your family. You must find your thing that helps you let relax-exercising, writing, blogging, doodling, whatever. Stress can sneak up on you. It builds a little tower inside of you waiting to collapse. The outside of teaching universe does not realize we carry it all-every student, parent, grade, plan, colleague issue, email, to do list and so on-right there on our shoulders. It's a lot. Find your thing and remember to make time for yourself. 

I know there are so many others I could put on this list, but these are the chosen ones for now! This also reminds me that it is time to send my new teacher friends a hug and a happy! 

Have a great week everyone!

TPT Giveaway!!!

Have you heard the news? Teachers Pay Teachers is having a Cyber Monday and Tuesday sale!!! I don't know about you, but I have a few LOTS of items (math games, STEM lessons, clip art, fonts, etc) on my wish list. 

Thanks for sharing this graphic, Comprehension Connection!

TPT has gifted me a $10 gift code to share with one of my readers. I'm so excited! I'm making it super easy, too! 

Enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win the $10 gift code! That should help make a dent in your wish list! Happy shopping!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wonder Giveaway!

I have been counting down the days until Wonder would be released! I loved reading this book (both times) and am hoping the movie at least half way lives up to my high expectations! I'll be heading to a screening on Wednesday and will be sure to let you know. 

Oh wait....why don't you meet me there? I'm giving away free advanced screening passes! Click the link below to claim an "admit two pass" to see the film this Wednesday, November 15th in Atlanta! 

Hope to see you there! 

http://www.lionsgatescreenings.com/WONDERATLMMR

In the meantime, check out the trailer! 

Santa's Toy Factory

 

Image Credit: ©2017 Gullane (Thomas) Limited. ©2017 Mattel. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] 

North Point Mall has partnered with Mattel to introduce a new holiday adventure that will be memorable for the entire family. Santa’s Toy Factory will open on November 11 in the center court area of the shopping center. M is SO excited to see the Thomas & Friends toys while T is all about the Hot Wheels! They can't wait to give toys a try for themselves! I'm excited to see it all and know that there will certainly be something for all of the kids on my holiday shopping list! This super shopping mommy is also very excited about seeing North Point Mall decorated for the holidays. 

Here's a bit more about Santa's Toy Factory:

Image Credit: ©2017 Gullane (Thomas) Limited. ©2017 Mattel. All Rights Reserved.

Santa’s Toy Factory is designed to empower creativity through an interactive, immersive experience to meet Santa. Within the 1,600 square-foot space, young guests will have the opportunity to “test” new toys in Santa’s Factory before they get delivered to all the boys and girls on Christmas morning. After they “test” the toys, they visit different stations to digitally design, build and paint toys from Mattel’s iconic brands including Barbie^®, Hot Wheels^®, and Thomas & Friends^™. The grand finale, of course, will be meeting Santa himself for photos and to share their holiday wish list.

“We are proud to be partnering with Mattel to bring this new, one-of-a-kind holiday concept to life,” said Nick Nicolosi, general manager of North Point Mall. “We are always looking for ways to introduce new brands and experiences to our community and can’t wait to showcase Santa’s Toy Factory this holiday season. We know our guests will embrace it.”

The experience with Santa’s Toy Factory is free-of-charge and photo packages begin at $39.99. To make reservations to ensure quicker access, please click HERE. If you'd like more information, please visit www.VisitSantasToyFactory.com. North Point Mall is located at 1000 North Point Circle and is home to a plethora of high-quality tenants including American Girl, Lego and the Disney Store.

Check out these One-Day Special Events Too!

You Can Be Anything Barbie

November 12, 2017 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Center Court

Image Credit: ©2017 Gullane (Thomas) Limited. ©2017 Mattel. All Rights Reserved.

Thomas and His Super Station

November 25, 2017 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Center Court

Image Credit: ©2017 Gullane (Thomas) Limited. ©2017 Mattel. All Rights Reserved.

Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage

December 7, 2017 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Center Court

Image Credit: ©2017 Gullane (Thomas) Limited. ©2017 Mattel. All Rights Reserved.

Get Social with North Point Mall & Mattel! 

Twitter: @NorthPointMall  @Mattel 
Instagram: @northpointmall @Mattel 
Facebook: @NorthPointMall @Mattel 

Disclosure: I’ve partnered with www.blogginmamas.com & North Point Mall to share these free family events with my readers, and am being compensated for this partnership. All opinions expressed are my own.

So We Paint

Today was a day. TODAY WAS A DAY! It happens now and again and today was it. So I grabbed the boys, drove home, pulled out the paint and brushes, and we painted. 

The school bag stayed in the car. The dinner was cooked, not microwaved. The stuff will wait. 

Today we paint...tongues out and everything.

DonorsChoose Giveaway

I love fall. I love everything about it. I love pumpkins (to look at not taste!) I love the crunchy leaves and silly Halloween fun. I love being a mommy in fall because the weather is cooler (well at least I hope it will be soon) and we spend more time outside. I love being a teacher in fall because of all the fun Octobery things. 

Fall makes me happy. Fall reminds me to slow down and enjoy the little things. It reminds me to put down my phone and take a look around. It reminds me to share the love, too.       

That's why I'm giving away a $20 DonorsChoose donation! Woo hoo! Enter the Rafflecopter! Contest starts today and ends on Halloween! 

Good luck! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fire Prevention Week FREEBIE

This post is sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association and Sparky.org. All opinions, funny stories, and awesome tips are my own! 

Did you know October is Fire Prevention Month and October 8-14 is Fire Prevention Week? We take fire safety seriously around here and find that now is a good time to remind ourselves of the need for a plan. 

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has a really helpful website for parents and educators but they also have an interactive (and super fun) website for kids! They share exclusive content is an easy to navigate format. 

I have spent quite a bit of time on both sites and want to share a few mom/teacher highlights.

Mom Card~

1. When T was little, we took a white piece of paper and drew our fire safety plan. It was basic but effective. NFPA provides a guide for drawing an escape plan that is designed to be done as a family and is suited for where T is now. Click the picture to print your own. There are several other free downloads including a fact sheet (must read,) info on smoke alarms and sprinklers as well as tips for staying safe while you travel. While on the subject, be sure to know where your child goes during a fire drill. I do and I am even in the building with him. 

2. Sparky has a NEW app and we can't get enough of it!  

Sparky's Fun House invites young children to practice their literacy and math skills while learning how to stay safe. It is a win win! While M is a bit under the age range (he's perfect for Sparky's Firehouse,) he has enjoyed sitting with T and being in on all the action! He especially loves the robot game!

Teacher Card~

1. As a first grade teacher, I am all about safety and helping my students know how to stay safe. In fact, part of this month's homework was to discuss your fire safety home plan. I have added Sparky School House to my class blog and LOVE the ready to use resources! Check it out and then visit Sparky to print them all!   

2. There are activities for a wide age range of students, all the way through adult learners. There are songs and videos for the younger grades as well as mazes and challenges for upper grades. There are lesson plans that you can adjust to meet your classroom needs. The NFPA.org is a great resource with a wealth of information for home and school.

For our younger friends, here is a fire safety planning page just for you! It is just a tad fancier than the one we first made with T. Be sure to add the date! His tree drawing on our original is one I will always treasure! Click the picture to download your FREEBIE! 

While October happens to be Fire Prevention Month, it is something we need to be thinking about year round. When we change our calendar page each month, we review our safety spots. It takes 30 seconds. 

Make plans this week to chat about fire safety. Maybe take the quiz as a family. Draw your plan and post it somewhere you know will keep the conversation going. 

Stay safe friends. 

What We're Reading Sunday

T has always loved books but this year (3rd grade) he has really become an avid reader. He can't wait to get his hands on a good book. I am loving it, but you know, trying to play it cool. :) Here are a few of his recent hits:

As for M, hitting the 2 1/2 mark has really changed his reading interests. I'm kidding. He still loves hearing the same stories, playing with the board books, and pretend reading T's books as he snatches them right from his hands. We wouldn't have it any other way. Here are his current hits:

As for me, I am loving every minute of reading with these two. I've been reading lots of teacher stuff but am also visiting these when I can:

What are you reading?

Joy Cowley DOUBLE Giveaway!

Do you remember learning to read? I don't, but I wish I did! Lucky for this teacher, I get to be a part of that reading moment for kids everyday and I love it. I cherish those moments.

Some of my all time favorite books for early readers have the same author, Joy Cowley. I was introduced to her books while I was student teaching 16 years ago. I've been a fan ever since. I've built readers with her books. I've laughed with Mrs. Wishy Washy and stopped with the milkman. I.love.her. When I met her at ILA, I was almost speechless. She is just as I imagined, calm and sweet, a lover of words and children. 

Ah! Sorry for geeking out! I just want to share the Joy Cowley love!! Her books are a must have for early readers, struggling readers, readers who like to giggle, readers who love animals, readers....well, you get the idea! Joy Cowley rocks and Hameray is her publisher! They are hosting a HUGE giveaway and a mini contest, too! Click HERE to enter the mini contest for one Mrs. Wishy Washy big book. 

Hameray Publishing is also giving away a Joy Cowley Collection! The lucky winner will receive an entire set of the Joy Cowley leveled readers (60 books,) Joy Cowley Early Bird lower-leveled readers (45 books,) all of her newest big books (34 of them,) a set of finger puppets and more! The book levels range from C-I and will be an amazing addition to any primary classroom! Read more about the collection HERE.

Enter to win this entire set for your readers! Click HERE or on the pictures! It takes 5 seconds! 

Fall in love with Joy Cowley if you haven't already! Hurry though, contest ends 2/28 and the winner will be announced 3/1!

Motherhood

If the magic happens when you step out of your comfort zone, then magic, pure magic happened almost three years ago when I stepped on the Listen To Your Mother stage to share my story one of my stories with the world. It is a story of motherhood, sisterhood, friendship, and most of all-love. 

Standing on that stage was a once in a lifetime moment. Being a part of something so much bigger than me was unbelievable. The bond I share with my fellow cast members is the best kind. They became friends and family. We still celebrate each other and cheer each other on. I have only the fondest of memories of the entire experience. In fact, I am honored that I was able to share this moment. It is one of my proudest mom/daughter/sister moments. Here it is.

I'm bringing this up in January of 2017 in hopes that you might be inspired to do the same! I hope you will step out of your comfort zone and write one of your stories. Or maybe share the story you  have written down already. OR maybe even the one floating around in your head. The story, your story, can be about your mom, you as a mom, your grandmother, you as a teacher who gets called mom, your significant other....anything having to do with motherhood! :)

If you are not so sure about all of this, watch the videos. My story happens to be a sad one. Some will make you laugh out loud though. Some will make your heart smile. Some will make you laugh, cry, and smile all in one! All of the stories will stay with you and many of them will remind you of a moment of your own.

If you are not in or near the ATL, visit Listen To Your Mother to find a city near you. If you are in or near the ATL, click HERE to find out how you can share your story.  We have amazing producers and alumni! Grab a friend and convince them to do the same. 

Want more? I wrote about LTYM here and here. Let me know if I can help you with your decision! I can read your draft, chat with you about your idea, or just have a drink with you to ease the nerves before you audition! 

Now, let's do this! Let's focus on writing in 2017! 

One Little Word

If you have read any of my ramblings over the years (how has it been years?) you know I am pretty serious about my one little word. I wait for it to find me. I spend hours thinking about it. I say it. I write it in fancy letters like a boy's name on my trapper keeper. I try to be one with the word. I commit to the power of my chosen word. One time I even thought about getting a tattoo of my word (#wimp.) 

Well, that was before I had M. I mean really, I barely have time to tie my shoes and when I do, I think he secretly plots a way to untie them. :) 

This year, my word once again found me, but it was more than a friendly hello. The word hit me like a ton of bricks. Like, HEY YOU! I'M THE WORD YOU SHOULD HAVE CHOSEN ALL THOSE OTHER YEARS.  

Here's my word.

-focus on what matters, including self

-focus on things I can control

Wish me luck with this handful.

What's your word?

Decorations Are Up!

Our decorations are always a work in progress, but this year we were a little later than usual (which is late,) and did not have them up until more than a week after Thanksgiving. In our defense, Thanksgiving was early this year! :)

T chose a shorter, chubbier tree than usual. He said it just spoke to him. How could we say no to that? 

Our tree is a crazy mix of kid made ornaments, gifts from students and family, keepsakes from our favorite places, and treasures A made for us over the years. M has only pulled ornaments off 5 or 6 times and the entire tree itself only once. I am feeling pretty good about that. 

My favorite ornament on the tree is this one. A few years ago, my Granny gave the little sister and I a box of her oldest ornaments. Each year I hang one on the tree. I tell the boys a funny story about Granny as we hang it. I still cry though. She is missed and the holidays always make it a bit harder.

As for other decorations, my second favorite spot in the whole house is our fireplace. Our family tradition is to decorate it with books. The books do not last long before being grabbed. Sometimes they read them. Sometimes we read the books to the boys. Sometimes they build with them. Sometimes we find them in the kitchen, on the floor when we are walking to turn on the lights and almost slip and fall on our face. Sometimes... :)

Another tradition we have is the big reveal. We do not reveal our Christmas card until they have been mailed. So silly, right? I know! 

In the meantime, from our family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

12 Days of Christmas, Teacher Gifts

People usually remember I am a teacher around this time of year. How do I know? They say things like, "So...what do teachers really want for a gift?" 

I like to keep my responses varied and fun depending on the audience. 

Sincere
"Gifts really are not necessary. We really do love what we do."

Silly
"Nothing. Please, no gifts or goodies or notes."

Snarky
"I think the pay we deserve would be a great place to start." 


Serious
"Anything you give your child's teacher will be appreciated. You might also want to throw in a handwritten thank you note." 

With any response, people usually go to question 2 and ask what I give T's teacher. This is an easier one for me. Our family is all about gift cards. We find out our teacher's favorite place or places and along with a beautiful note or favorite candy, send a gift card. You can't go wrong with a gift card. You just can't.

Last year though, my teacher BFF had an amazing parent give her a 12 Days of Christmas gift. Each day as they counted down until winter break, the parent sent a note and goodie to go with it. For example, on the 5th day of Christmas, her student gave to her (sing the tune!) 5 golden pineapple rings! Soooo cute! Susanne reminded me this year so I could do the same for T's teacher. Wanting to keep it personal for his teacher, we sat together and thought of items for each verse. Here's what we came up with! See if you can make the connections!

We included a cute note each day. Here's an example- "On the 1st day of Christmas, my 2nd grader gave to me... a partridge in a pear tree." On the back, we wrote, "or in our case, a super cute bird ornament." We also contribute to the class gift because well, our teacher rocks! 

Click the picture to download a set of free, blank cards to print! 

Your child's teacher really will appreciate whatever you give him or her for the holidays! As cheesy as it sounds, it truly is the thought that counts! 

Being Brave

Oh friends, it has been awhile. Too long in fact. I've been busy. I've been really busy. 

I survived back to school, fell hard for my awesome new class, rocked fall break, dove headfirst into conference week then wrapped it up with a quick trip to Disney World. Then I looked up from life to see that November is coming to a close. 

I do feel like time is going too fast, but I do not think I am missing anything. You know what I mean? I've put a few things on the back burner (mainly housework and the blog) and tried hard to be present, be myself, be the person I want to be. Wait, I think that is called being brave. I'm trying more of that these days. I am being more brave. It's true. Just call me brave brave mcbravey pants. I'm the Queen of Brave. Braverita. Brave on the rocks with a dash of sparkly something! I'm brave! 

It's brave when you forget balance and deal with what comes head on. Juggling mom, wife, teacher is no joke. I thought about taking a year off. I thought about doing something else. I thought about what I could always be doing better as a mom, wife, teacher, daughter, sister, etc. I thought  and thought myself into more worry and strife than I deserve. It's brave to be trusting and here I am. 

Brave presents itself in funny ways. When you have to stand up for what is right, it is brave. It is uncomfortable sometimes especially when you are standing against the norm, whatever that norm might be. I am not shy and I am passionate about a few things. While I have always been brave in talking education, I've upped my brave game for my other passions, too. It feels good. I want my own children to be brave in this way maybe more than all the other ways. I want this type of bravery for my students, too. Brave is no joke. 

It's brave when you try new things and put yourself out there. I did it though. Order my brave shirt and put that puppy in the mail! Later when I am feeling a little more brave than tired, I'll give you the details! 

Brave is admitting that you can't do it all. I.can't.do.it.all. Even though I really, really want to. I can't. and that's ok. I'm going to rock (or at least attempt to rock) this mom, wife, teacher thing and see how far it gets me. :)

What We're Reading Sunday

Summer means extra reading time. Wait, summer should mean extra reading time. That obviously does not apply to moms! I have read maybe, MAYBE 1/4 of the books on my summer reading list! 

T on the other hand, has been reading. He has finished The Dragon Masters series by Scholastic and anxiously awaits the next book. We also read The BFG by Roald Dahl together. He's diving into some nonfiction about spies at the moment and has another Branches read lined up after that one. 

We have also been reading to M. He is going through a phase where he doesn't listen at all, takes the book, blabs for a few minutes and throws it on the ground. So sweet. So, very sweet. We are hoping he will fall in love with Eric Carle's Have You Seen My Cat? as T once did. Let's just say, we are going to keep hoping. :)

I am reading and rereading these books. Mindset and it's classroom buddy are great (the book more than the resource guide) and they deserve revisiting. The chapter books are new to me and I wanted to read at least one in each series before putting them in my library. I always read the first in the series. No pressure first book, but it is pretty serious. I enjoyed both.

But....time, I just need more time. That's something I usually say during the school year, but it is even more true in the summer. I need more time to read. I need more time to read to the boys. I need more time to pretend I'm reading but really sleep. 

Here's to making time, finding time, and reading time! What are you reading this summer?

Washed Ashore: Georgia Aquarium's Newest Exhibit AND Giveaway!

Our little scientist really keeps us on our toes. He is the first to remind me to put the paper in recycle and sometimes he even lets me know he turned out of the lights as he left my room. Hint hint, mom.

T loves nature, animals, and all things outdoors. At Dauphin Island last spring, he collected shells but also picked up litter as we walked along the shore. I love him. I just love him. 

As you might imagine, he was THRILLED when I told him our family is renewing our dedication to reducing waste by partnering with Georgia Aquarium. After our recent trip, he declared "I love that the aquarium is not just about the shows mommy." He's right. There's so much more!

Through September, the Aquarium is hosting a very special exhibit-Washed Ashore:Art To Save the Sea. The exhibit offers an artsy twist on the global problem of ocean pollution featuring 13 larger than life pieces all created from ocean debris. Now T loves art almost as much as he loves nature, so he is very excited about this exhibit! 

Since June is World Oceans month and this awesome exhibit is so close to home, we decided to create our own piece of art using a few recycled materials.

T and "Elephant's Dream"

Now N and I have no idea where he found all of these bottle caps (obviously our neighbors,) but we were so happy he found a good use for them! He painted his cardboard with watercolor, placed his caps into just the right elephant shape, then added a newspaper scrap tail. 

This masterpiece is now proudly displayed on our mantle. I can't even tell you how much we love it. It shows his creativity and passion for animals. I have no doubt the Washed Ashore exhibit will leave me feeling the same way! 

Would you like to see for yourself by winning 4 tickets to the Georgia Aquarium? 

(Admission to Washed Ashore exhibit is included with general admission!) 

1. Use at least 3 items that you would normally throw away or recycle and turn them into art! 

2. Post a picture of your creation on Facebook or Instagram! 

3. Tag @mymommyreads, @georgiaaquarium, and tag #TrashtoTreasure and #SavetheSea.

4. Proclaim your family's commitment to reducing ocean debris!

One winner will be randomly chosen by midnight Friday, July 8th. 

Looking forward to seeing your art!