Monday Inspiration

today was a loooooong Monday...after a weekend of traveling and then not getting much sleep last night...even though we had the windows open and the weather is just perfect for that...


although being as close to Raven's Stadium as we are, I kept hearing the crowds cheering and the announcer yelling out Raven's players names...so maybe I was subconsciously distracted...because I certainly was tired.


but anyway, better late then never, I found this nice little quote, and I thought it was a good thought for a loooooong long Monday...

emphasis on the positive...just make a choice to be happy people! 




Happy Fall :)  my favorite season is FINALLY here!

pancakes with candles

since I was conveniently home for the weekend...we also got to see Katie and have Birthday breakfast with her!

nothing like pancakes with a candle in them :)

and some awesome Harry Potter themed earrings!  a new addition to the JerseyGirlDeisgn collection :)  in the shop soon!

photo Saturday

some of the decorations at the baby shower for "Pedro" :)

Friday funny

bad food might taste good...but it's time to remember that it's not worth it :p  all the time.  sometimes maybe ;)

happy Friday!!!

I believe in...

I believe in...sleeping with the windows open in the fall


I believe in...counting calories...except on the weekends


I believe in...the magic of a gray, cloudy, rainy day


I believe in...being nice.  to everyone.  seriously.


I believe in...no cell phones during dinner


I believe in...iced coffee to start every day


I believe in...calling my parents just to check in...a lot :)


I believe that...happy hour with friends is the perfect way to end the week.  or day :)


I believe in...laughing till it hurts.  then laughing some more


I believe in...carrying my sketchbook and pencils everywhere I go

 
I believe in...quoting Friends episodes whenever possible


I believe in...the healing power of cuddling with your pets


I believe in...going to bed early - even on especially on a Friday


I believe in...playing in the snow


I believe in...flip flops


I believe in...naps


I believe in...Virginia Tech...one of my favorite places on Earth :)


I believe that...I can make a difference in my students lives


I believe in...singing in the car.  LOUDLY.


I believe in...relaxing with a glass of wine


I believe in... Art

link up with Erin and make your own list!!

seriously. just close the drawers.

 image source

guess I feel better that it's not just at my house that all the drawers and cabinets are open...I always joke that I can tell exactly what B did while I was out because of the open drawers...

Monday Inspiration

so I usually post something inspirational that I've found out on the internet somewhere, but this week I thought I'd share something that happened in my classroom :)


one of the first big discussions we had this year, was the topic of "why is art important"...I had been having my students write their own answers, and I started to see them get frustrated, because a lot of my students have trouble with literacy on both the reading and writing end...


so when I had one of my 1st grade classes come through, I decided we'd make a poster, that I would write their answers on...and have them all sign it.

the kids did a great job, and their answers were so creative!  and it looks so pretty hanging outside my room!


got this idea from CMae - she's a great Art teacher in Arizona...I highly suggest you check her out!

weekend wrap-up

okay, I know you might be shocked to read this but I LOVE fall.


love love love love love it.



and the weather this weekend has been GLORIOUS!  long pants and hoodies in the morning...seriously, I am in heaven...as we speak, the A/C is off, and the windows are open...I might even go sit on the deck and do a little sketching/planning after I finish writing this :)




so it wasn't too eventful for me, but having weekends that don't totally drain you are a necessity...I am tired though, so who knows what I am talking about...


I got up at the lovely hour of 5:30 am on Saturday to head over to Notre Dame for week two of my graduate classes...and I swear, I feel like I've learned more in two weeks then I did in all my training for BCTR...


says something about the quality versus time...honestly, I thought the 'fast track' to teaching was right for me, but you know what?  it's a lot better to really learn how to teach...


and look how pretty campus is?

and then we ended up having tickets to the Charm City Music festival fall into our laps- awesome surprise!  and we saw Eve 6 and Weezer...along with other bands I didn't really know...but it was a crazy good time...here are a few photos and videos from the show :)


 

oh, and I got to experience the Charm City Circulator- which is a free local bus for those who don't live here..got us down and back for free...yeah we had to walk a bit too, but seriously, for a free ride, I'll take it




and now it's Sunday...I just conference called my Uncle to get some advice on my Fantasy Football team...and now I'm going to do some meal planning and lesson planning and laundry.




I know you are jealous ;)

Sunday Social!

 linking up again with Neely at a Complete Waste of Makeup :)  Happy Sunday all!

 

 

 

  

  

 

**I created this pretty little logo inspired by the iconic I Heart NY image by Milton Glaser :)  so if you like it...please link back to my page :) **

there you go folks :)

it's almost Monday...again!  how?!

Friday funny

 from someecards

I wish I could have a British accent sometimes...everything I said would sound sooooooo much cooler :)

happy fridayyyyyyyyyyy!!

oh, hai expensive prescription cat food

meet the floor.

if I hadn't finally gotten my car back today...this would have really ticked me off...



but I did...hooray for my own wheels again :)  no more begging for rides...

a little Art teacher humor

image source

yup, red and blue should make purple...

this made me laugh :)

happy Tuesday friends!

Monday inspiration

hope you have a great Monday! 

why baseball should have instant replay...and other weekend fun

this weekend my cousins were in town, and it was so nice to see them down on our turf...we took them out for sushi and showed them around Fells Point and Little Italy...and then we made it home in time to see this happen.

photo credit: Larry Brown

SAFE.  all I can say is he was safe.


ugh.




I know baseball is a long game as it is...but when the game is this important...getting the call right is essential.



anyway...they crushed today's game- guess they were as mad as I was about the call ;)

and I got to stop by the convention center to see Brian & Katie at their booth at Comic Con...





and now it's 9pm.  time for bed.


seriously, happy to be back at work...but I am tired and it's only been 2 weeks!

Sunday Social - wrapping up summer!

Lets wrap up summer!

okay...somehow I forgot to post this last weekend...I'm a week behind...oops!

What was your favorite trip/vacation/activity this summer?
 I think my favorite summer trip was down to NC to see Mike and Bean...and little Pedro :)  road trip with Pan & Bob...beach, good food, lots o sleep :)  good times!

my favorite activity hands down, was playing on a softball team- I had no idea how much I missed playing, or how much fun it would be as an adult :)  I am really happy I got back into it, and can't wait to play again next summer!

Favorite outfit look of the summer/clothing item?
 I spent most of the summer either in my bathing suit, or workout clothes...but I lurrrrrved this new dress: (I am in the middle :) - also the only one wearing a dress...)

What is one thing you wish you had gotten to do this summer?
get my house totally organized.  for some reason I thought it was enough time to get it all done...top to bottom, so that when school started I would be a calm, confident, organized person...not stressing about cleaning, or finding things...but yeah, that did not happen...

indirectly related (okay, not at all...) I had a super fun summer, saw lots of people, had I will hopefully have cold winter days and nights when we are snowed in (please, pretty please!!) to get stuff done around the house...maybe ;)

Favorite Song of the Summer?
gosh...I listen to the actual radio like 1% of the time I am in the car...so this isn't an easy answer...

although I have been rocking out to Pandora, and finding some new music that I might not ever have found other wise :)  this is one I really liked...a perfect song for summer...Jake Owen, Barefoot Blue Jean Night...yup, the girl from Jersey likes country music ;)

Favorite movie/tv show of the summer?
I know we are wayyyyyyyy behind the times...but we finally this summer got into watching It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia...thanks Netflix for that!  I think we're up to season 4...and it is just so ridiculous...definitely a good Friday night watch when you've had a long week :)

okay...summer is over...by work standards...not by the actual calendar...who else thinks September 1st should officially mark the start of fall?  and by those standards...cool weather?

ME ME ME!  I am so done with sweating...I want to wear long sleeved shirts and drink hot coffee...

bring it fall.  BRING IT!

:)  

photo Saturday

wouldn't ya know...Friday happy hour (which turned into happy hourS) included a visit from the Raven's cheerleaders...we got t-shirts, bracelets, bottle openers, key chains, coozies, bead necklaces...and were entered into a raffle to win tickets to Monday nights game- that reminds me...get home early on Monday...football traffic is the WORST.

but it was a fun surprise, and getting free stuff is always cool...even if they are my #2 team :)  (don't worry Giants...you are still #1)

and yes, my eyes are always closed in pictures...



especially after walking 3 miles home in 90+ degree heat after my car over heated on the way home.



AGAIN.


ugh.


anyway...it's the weekend :)  and today is day 1 of grad school!  more on that later :)

Friday funny

oh bacon.

image source

happy Friday friends!

"I smell poop"

so last year, I kept coming across other teacher's blogs, and they were so great at documenting the funny things that come out of their students mouths...

so this year, I am determined to write down some of those gems and share them with you :)



today, while spending time with one of our Kindergarten classes, a little boy said to me:

Student: "I smell poop."

Me: "do you?"

Student: "I know it's not me.  I stopped pooping on myself a little while ago."





I love my job :)

first day of year 2

whew!  first day with classes...it's one of those things where no matter how many days and hours you prepare...you really never feel ready...but then again...you just have to be...so I guess it's okay not to 'feel' ready...because OCD me could always do something more...change this, adjust that, re-make this...you get the idea


but as far as first days go, I have very little to complain about...three classes, a few breaks in my day to get things organized...had my rules and procedures already outlined and in poster form, had my seating charts pre-made...and when it came down to it, I was really impressed with myself that I remembered almost all the students names!


remembering 400 this year will be so much easier then 800 like last year...did I mention how much happier I am this year?  already, on day 1 I can feel the difference.

I also feel like being in my second year in the same building, I have a bit more credibility with my students...or "cred" as they'd probably say...I am really glad to prove to them that I want to be there, and won't just up and leave them like other teachers have...



happy school year to me and all the teachers out there!!

this means war!

okay, not war exactly...but tonight is the night that always tests my relationship...not as much now as it did a few years ago...but it is the Virginia Tech vs Georgia Tech game...my school vs his...Tech vs Tech...

usually a very tense evening, but tonight we eat tacos, and watch the game...



who will be happy?  let's hope it's me ;)

playing catch-up

so I will try as hard as I can not to sound whiny...but being four days behind everyone else at school is tough...wah :(  haha!  but I know...I could be in that position of not having a job, of having them not realize that my evaluation was a bunch of bull...so behind the ball and scrambling is the name of the game right now...but in a few weeks...I think I'll feel settled back in.


I hope.


I am not entirely done with setting up my room...but I do feel like this year is going to be WORLDS better than last year...one room, not two.  372 students, not 860.  a supportive administration, not...well...there aren't really words for what that was...


plus, I can put ALL my energy into making my room exactly how I want it to be- being there every day of the week...and not worrying about running back and forth, did I forget something that I need at the other school?!

this year is going to be better.  SO much better.



so as far as classroom set up...here is what I've got so far:

this will be the Artist of the Month board - probably one who was born that month...sitting on top of not one, but two broken kilns :)

a few of those motivational posters I discovered via Pinterest!

a nice little library center :)

my color theory wall

behavior management stoplight- will have to get a better picture when I get in tomorrow...but these are dry erase sentence strips!  and above that is my class helpers...each table will rotate, so there aren't millions of hands raised asking to help pass out stuff, or clean up...which I do love...but every little question takes time...and time we have so little of in class!

rules, and our BIG goal!

a place for their sketchbooks (which are just manila folders with paper stapled inside...gotta do what ya gotta do with no budget...)

and make-up work, extra credit work, and work with no name bins!

and something I'm super proud of...labels for my tables- each table is assigned a color...and this has how you say that color in 7 languages!  that one I thought up all on my own!

see what wondrous things you can do when you don't have two classrooms to set up!? 



okay...time to get the other 98749287596 things done that I need to have ready for tomorrow...

happy Labor Day everyone :)

Monday Inspiration

 

found on Pinterest

this means so much more to me now, that I am a teacher, then it probably would have before...


here's to doing the right thing...even if it isn't the easiest or most popular choice :)

Favorite Etsy Shop- Jerseymaids

so it's sort of a funny random story...of how I came to "know" Lauren, the owner of Jerseymaids.

first of all, anyone named Lauren is cool in my book...(yes I have very strict criteria...)

but it was in December of last year, that a woman stopped me at a craft show and said "hey!  you're the girl who's friends with Danielle!"

to which I replied..."hmmm...I don't know, I might know a Danielle..."


well the weird thing is...I actually knew who she was talking about after she started to describe her...I had 'met' her at Baltimore's comic convention- I don't know the exact name- when I was there a few years ago with my super talented cousin Brian, who was selling his art...Danielle, who writes the comic, Girls with Slingshots was there- I scooped her card, and got hooked reading her comic...

well it turns out Lauren (also a Lauren B) whose shop also has the name Jersey in it, also happens to live in Maryland!  and she is friends with Danielle- actually friends...not just met once ;) 

if that's not enough weird coincidences for you...I don't know what is!  a case of mistaken identity...but flattering, since it's a very talented person I was mistaken for :)



and it just so happens that her work is amazing- combining her love of photography with jewelry and accessories...and even cufflinks, and cases for your iPhone!  it seems like every time I check in, she's got a new product!

these cute hairpins

or these adorable hot air balloon earrings

and awesome cases for your iPhone...you can pick out one of her photos, or even send in one of your own for a custom case :)

 here is the necklace I got from her, when she was having a sale on Fab.com




it's hard to see the photo...so here is a close-up of the image of the Cherry Blossoms :)

I get lots of compliments when I wear it :)  and it's fun to know a fellow Lauren B from Jersey made it :)

so go check out her shop and blog :)  and pick up some gifts...and something for yourself too ;)