Recent Happenings...

Wow it has been so long since I blogged. I feel like I say that every time. To be honest, I haven't really been in the mood. Lately, life has been busy, exhausting, and frustrating at times, but I've also done a lot of fun things too. Here's a happy post of things I have been up to since September! 

Two of my close couple friends are having babies this spring!!! First weddings, now babies... I can't wait to meet baby Martin and baby Knapp! :) 

I loved catching up with these lovely ladies at Dani's wedding. MCC love :) 

Color in Motion 5K with my teammates

Baylor vs. Tech game at Cowboys Stadium

To top it all off, I survived Thanksgiving, the "Icepocalypse" and I'm looking forward to Christmas celebrations! 

Color in Motion 5K

Wow, I've really been slacking with the blog posts lately. 

Color in Motion 5K with my teammates from Nov. 2nd. :) 

PHONICS.

Wow the first few weeks of school have gone by so quickly. I have been staying busy, as usual, implementing all sorts of new things and getting to know my students. We are using a new phonics program this year in K-2 and it has definitely been a huge adjustment from our phonics instruction in the past. It has also affected some other aspects of our language arts curriculum as well. I'm not here to complain, because there's no point in that, but... I do want to post a few wonderful pictures of all the lamination we have been doing for this new program. Each teacher had about 60 feet... I still have stacks of cards waiting to be cut and organized as we get further into the lessons. :) Our assistant principal even stepped in to laminate for several hours one week. On this particular day in the work room, we spent 3 hours cutting and laminating. Team and admin bonding time for sure. :) 

I love my co-workers. 

Aggie Game Day!

Wow, a year ago, I wrote this post about game day in College Station. It has been four years since I graduated from A&M... time really does fly when you're growing up...

I still can't believe it but last Saturday, I FINALLY made it back to Aggieland for a game.

 

 

My wonderful husband bought tickets for me even though he had an important Baylor event to go to and I seriously can't thank him enough.

 

Ahh, I am so incredibly lucky.

 

 

I decided to take my wonderful co-worker and friend, Florence, along on this little road trip. Turns out, she has never been to a college football game! I figured this would be the best opportunity for her to see first hand what I have been obsessing over for the past couple years. :)

 

The Aggie Barn on Highway 6

  

 Lunch on Northgate at none other than POTATO SHACK!

 

Shopping at Northgate Vintage before heading to the TENT SALE! 

 

Ryan said I spent my allowance for October... TOTALLY worth it!

 

Then we headed back to campus for a little tour and a trip through the MSC. The renovation is amazing. I wish they had done it before I graduated!

Check out a virtual tour here. :)

 

 

 

Kyle Field! 

So much fun! We BTHO Sam Houston State, survived the rain, and I loved every minute of it! 

Thanks and gig 'em :)

 

My Classroom 2013

Wow, another school year is here! I can't believe that this will be my fourth year teaching... so weird. As each new year approaches, it never fails that I turn into a crazy person who spends hours working in my classroom with no air conditioning and plan meticulously all of the things that I want to do better. Then staff development week hits and without fail, something new is thrown at us and I am left scrambling to figure out how it will fit into my "meticulous plans". I suppose I wouldn't have it any other way. For some reason, I secretly enjoy the feelings of being challenged and completely overwhelmed... it keeps me on my toes. Anyway, here are some pictures of my classroom this year. I have toned it down a little... I am still working on a new visual for my math stations and a management system for the new phonics program so it is still, as always, a work in progress.

Supplies ready for the first day.

 

New polka dot rug for the library. No more zebra print!

 

I added tickets for labels on the book boxes.

 

I finally found a RED CARPET!

I have been looking for three years and now I have the perfect rug!

$20 at Big Lots for a 5' by 6'

Good luck to all teachers going back to school tomorrow!

Book Obsession

Summer is almost over! It still hasn't completely hit me that I have to go back to school next week even though I have already spent lots of time in my classroom.

Though my summer has been short, I have filled it with some pretty valuable activities. One of those valuable activities just happens to be reading. In my few weeks off after summer school I have read seven books and I have another huge stack of books that I have committed to reading ASAP. 

It all got started one afternoon while I was hanging out with Florence. :) I bought City of Bones and Divergent. I read Divergent and Insurgent before starting on the Mortal Instruments series. 

Since the next books from both of those authors don't come out for a while, I went to my dad for some recommendations.

I have to make time to read during the school year now! :) 

Check out my Book Obsession board on Pinterest! 

Arianna + Mark

So this is a long overdue post that I have been meaning to write for a while now. 

During all the end of the year craziness, I was also hit with the reality that my beautiful co-worker and friend is really moving away to start a new adventure in St. Louis. 

Arianna, it has been an honor getting to know you and working with you over the past two years. I honestly would not have made it through my first year at ACM without you. Thank you for all of the advice, laughs, love notes, and memories. I am so lucky to call you my friend. :)

I am sad that I won't get to see you every day at work but I am so excited for you and Mark.

(Image from sweetpeamurals on etsy)

This is going to be an incredible married life adventure and I know you are going to love it. 

When things get tough and you are missing the familiar Texas life, just remember that we love you and we are only a phone call away. :)