Currently I Am........

I've taken a few days off from the mess I call my classroom so this is a random post that was inspired by Lynda over at Curls and a Smile.  What are you currently doing??

The Magic of Sleep

Sleep.  I love it.  Really........one of my favorite things to do!  But I can honestly say that I didn't get much of it last night!  My blog template weighed heavily on my mind (silly, I know!) and I stressed over its creation for over 4+ hours last night until I finally put the computer (any myself) to sleep at 1:20am.

Needless to say, the first thing I did this morning, after making coffee, was fire this baby back up and check some new posts by some of my fav bloggers like Kristin at A Teeny Tiny Teacher, Kimberly at Funky First Grade Fun, The Lesson Plan Diva, The Littlest Learners at The Clutter Free Classroom, and Michelle at Fabulous in First.  As I am on borrowed time this morning (family is itching to get the boat to the river!) I was only able to check out a few of my favs. 

Let me get to the point.  As I was stressing my template design and mostly the fact that I couldn't get my blog title centered.........it hit me like a ton of bricks!  *SIMPLE*  As in "Keepin' It Simple in 2nd Grade."  My hope is to provide ways to keep things simple yet effective in our world of chaos & realized that I should do the same with my design.  Pick something simple, save the changes, and BE DONE WITH IT.  And I did! :)  My motto for many years has been to work smarter, not harder (Thanks, Fred Jones!) and my OCD (unprofessionally diagnosed, of course!) often gets in the way.  My classroom to do list includes many ideas I have already found via teacher blogs and I hope that maybe, just maybe, I can provide some of you ideas in return.  If you have any blog suggestions for a "newbie" please do not hesitate to send them my way!!  :)

Off to the rivah (as we say here in Virginia) to put my toes in the sand!  **HAPPY SUNDAY YA'LL**

Look Ya'll.......My Very First Blog Post!!

Where to begin?!  I'll start by admitting that I have been "blog stalking" (should that be hyphenated?) most of you out there and it's *your* fault I am creating this blog at 9:30 on a Saturday night! :)  I have been addicted to many of your blogs for the past month and can say that I have truly been motivated by all of the *amazing* things I am reading!

THANK YOU (I think......) for inspiring me to enter the world of blogging & I can think of no better way to do so than to post some pics of my Room In Progress.  

 Let the fun begin......

The Teacher's Corner & Promethean Board

Everything is unpacked & furniture is in place!!

Homework chart & Calendar board 

Ooops!  Monday is falling down :)

My teammate & I got rid of student desks 2 years ago and we'll NEVER go back again!

Next week's To Do list includes tackling the teacher's corner & finishing all the decorating!!

Our teacher work week doesn't actually begin until August 29th and the students return on September 6th (read on, haters......) but we go to school until June 15th!!  I started working in my classroom last week because someone (was that ME?) planned our family beach vacay for the week before teacher work week begins.  Duh!  So, I will be spending my last day of summer break driving home from the beach, unpacking, and doing laundry.  If your teacher work week is anything like ours - FULL of meetings & staff development & not a lot of uninterrupted "work in your classroom" time - then you completely understand my need (obsession!!)  to get my room ready early so that I can actually *enjoy* my vacay!!


Well, teacher peeps, it's been a long day and I'm super proud of my first blog post! :)  I look forward to making new "blog friends" and interacting via posts and comments.  Bear with me as I learn the ins and outs of blogging..........and don't forget to click FOLLOW ME before you go!   Sweet Dreams!