And the award goes to...

Before I get started with my new teacher series tomorrow, I need to thank those of you who have given me awards lately. Every time I get a message about an award, it just makes me happy. Work has kept me super busy this summer, but I don't want to start my series without a big THANK YOU!

I'm a new teacher. I'm moving grades. I'm terrible at organization. I still have so much to learn. And yet, your comments on this blog and little things like these awards make me feel like a good teacher and make me want to push myself to be a better one- so thank you for giving me confidence that I have something to offer!

I was awarded the Versatile Blogger Award or Lovely Blogger Award (again) by these fantastic bloggers:

The Second Grade Superkids
Teachers Don't Steal, They Share!
Lovin' Kindergarten
Surfing to Success
A Passion for Primary
Inspired in Second
Simply Second Grade
Innovate, Relate, and Create
Third Grade's a Charm
Totally Terrific in Texas
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Second Grade Smartypants

I tell ya, it is downright tricky finding new blogs that don't already have these awards- but here are some new blogs that I thought you all should check out! (Hopefully you don't all have the awards already- feel free to accept whichever one you haven't gotten yet! If you have gotten them... well, hopefully the shout-out will get you a few new followers :)

Beyond the Gradebook

Teaching in the Valley

Frogs in First Grade

Today in Second Grade

A Passion for Primary

Third Grade Rock Star

Barnard Island

Alright- the Versatile Blogger Award asks me to tell you 7 random facts about myself. (LOVE this.) But I'm going to tell you 8 things- and let you guess which one is false! Here goes:

1.  I have taken some kind of dance lessons for 15 years.
2.  I've eaten the food they give to monkeys at the zoo.
3.  My husband was impersonating his best friend when we met.
4.  My favorite food is peanut butter pie.
5.  I would love to go to Costa Rica someday and stay in the rainforest.
6.  Someday, I want to be a principal.
7.  I am a partial owner of the Green Bay Packers football team.
8.  I have kissed a stingray.

Which one is false? First person to guess gets to choose the topic of a Scoot game freebie! (Make sure you leave your email with your guess!)

Stay tuned tomorrow for the winner/ answer, and the start of my new teacher series! (So excited!)

Don't forget to spread the word about Hats for Kenton, even if you're not sending something!

Long time no see...

TeachHub featured my blog- and I am flabbergasted. I mean, looking over the list of featured blogs, I kind of can't believe I made the cut. I could name ten great 2nd grade blogs that should've been featured ahead of me, but I am so grateful that someone thinks I'm doing something right. Thank you, and welcome to those of you who found me that way!

Last week was hectic, to say the least. Guest speakers, lemonade stand, school-wide mile run/walk, Mother's Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, and of course plenty of end-of-the-year craziness- but it was a great week. I can't wait to post about some of the things we did!

Not yet, though. My husband leaves home tomorrow morning, and will be halfway across the country until August, so tonight's a quick post! I'm linking up late with Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade...

Don't get me wrong- my husband has an amazing internship and I couldn't be happier for him or more proud of him. I'm just not looking forward to being apart for this long, but we'll be fine!

On a more positive note, though, I should be visiting him at least once this summer. Are any of you by chance in the DALLAS area? :)

The Lovely Blog Award

Hello if you're visiting from Ms. Fultz's Corner! She featured my measurement activity on her blog and made my day. Thanks!

Today is awesome. I had Spring Break a few days ago, because my school is in a college town. So many parents work for the university that they always make the breaks line up. This is my first year at this school, so it felt early, and while that was nice at the time, I was worried that the last bit of school would stretch on foreeeever.

Well, some genius put our two make-up snow days as this Thursday and Friday. We never used our snow days this year, so we had a four-day weekend on the weekend of Easter in addition to Spring Break.

I'm sorry if you hate me now, but I'm telling you this so that you can go to your union/ school board/ whoever determines the calendar and request the awesome mini-Spring-Break for next year. Because, trust me, it is awesome.

Okay, I have been putting this off due to a busy past few weeks, but it's awards time!

*cue the red carpet music*

Have you seen the adorable blog WILD about First Grade? She has given me The Lovely Blog Award and I am so honored! She has just started a giveaway for Starbucks and Barnes & Noble, and she is So. Close. to 100 followers- please go check her out!

Part of why I love these blog awards is because I get a chance to introduce others to some great new blogs. I always go out of my way to choose blogs that haven't won the award before, and that are somewhat new to the blogging world like me! Without further ado, the Lovely Blog Award goes to...

a blog so bright and colorful that it's sure to brighten your day! Great ideas to check out, too, so don't miss it!

Peacocks and Penguins

probably the most creative blog name I've ever seen, and she's started a TEDTalks Education Challenge! I can't wait to join up and I hope you do, too!



I couldn't quite get Going Nutty! in Miss Squirrel's First Grade's blog button to work right, but I thought instead I would show you something she offered as a FREEBIE the other day. Ridiculous, right?!



The fairy tale unit she just shared (ending with a sweet fairy tale BALL) looks just so amazing. I wish I taught on her second grade team!


Buzzing About Second Grade
Seriously, I dare you, scroll through the first page alone of her blog and try not to be inspired. It is just not going to happen!




Another squirrel-themed blog. I know. But trust me when I say that they are BOTH well worth checking out! This blog shares great freebies and lots of inspiring finds from other sites!


Third Grade Thoughts
Even though I am all kinds of jealous that she lives in Colorado near the mountains, I have to appreciate a blog that explains Daily 5, Whole Brain Teaching, and the Clip Chart in simple terms. I love the Clip Chart already and I plan to find out a lot more about the others this summer!



So many creative ideas in one place, and she even uses Envisions Math like me. Her geometry freebies have really helped me lately, and I can't wait to try out her Stoplight method for teaching how to write a paragraph!
 



Finally, Deb over at My Little Classity Class. I don't know how in the world she doesn't have this award already, so I have to give it to her. This is one of my very very favorite blogs- not just because she offers amazing freebies all the time- but also because she is so incredibly supportive and goes out of her way to leave sweet comments on other blogs (like mine!)

I hope you'll check out some of these blogs. They are all recent finds for me, but I have gotten SO many great ideas from them! Please comment and follow if you think they can be helpful!