Currently and 10 Days of Heaven...

So, it's ten days into the school year...without any criers I might add...which means I have been busy informally assessing, rule making, and routine shaping...

You all know how it goes...and my class size will grow by 5...yep, I said f-i-v-e on Wednesday. You see, I have been reveling in my small class of 14 (please don't throw virtual things at me), but knowing deep down it would come to a bittersweet end when we lost a section...

We got the official word last Friday...say goodbye to your sweet, on-a-routine class, and welcome back to the first day of school...ok, not that bad, but I have enlisted the help of my current crew to assist my new crop of firsties with our class schedule and our way of doing things in our class. I would love to hear your words of advice for acclimating my newbies with my oldies without losing precious instruction time...

That being said, it's Farley's currently time...where have the days gone?

Here's to your next 10 days of school...hope they're happy, fulfilling, and make you smile all day long!

August Currently...Shoes...and a Giveaway!

It's that Currently time again...ya know, the one that Farley from Oh' Boy 4th Grade hosts...which means that my summer vacation is quickly coming to an end...sigh with me here...

Check out Farley's post to read about her rules for linking up...

And here's a couple of my back-to-school must haves...

Well, you know how I love books...and since Kohl's has the Skippyjon Jones series out currently, I could not resist. So, although I set out to get these...Skippyjon Jones, Skippyjon Jones Class Action, Skippyjon Jones in the Dog House, Skippyjon Jones Lost in Spice, and a Skippyjon Jones plush...

I also ended up with these...

and these...

AND these...

I would have l-o-v-e-d to get these...

In the words of Skippyjon Jones, "Holy jalapeño," I know!

So, to ease my guilt, I went to Target...no, really redemption is coming...and I bought another one of these:

What is it? Although it looks like a regular name tag, it is actually a giant magnetic dry erase board...this baby measures approximately 8 1/2" tall X 15" wide and comes with a magnetic dry erase pen, too!

So, I know what you're thinking...yes, well, now I have two...but ONE is for YOU! Now, I wish I could be like Oprah and say, "one for you" and "one for you" and "one for you,", BUT alas, I am a teacher just like you...so I have ONE to give away to ONE lucky YOU...

All you have to do is follow my blog, like my fan page, and leave me a comment telling me how you would use it in your classroom...don't forget to leave your email address so that I can contact you if you win...

The winner will be selected using a random number generator. *I can only ship within the U.S.*

Good luck! The contest ends on Tuesday, August 7th at 10:00 p.m.

A Lil' Bit of Monica...and a Whole Lot of Randomness

Although it is nine days into July, (but who's counting, right?), I am finally able to link up with Farley (for my first time ever) at:


for this month's Currently

July Currently

But, wait, there's more to this than meets the eye...you can't just plug in your stuff...you hafta follow the rules:

for the last question about books:
#1 should be your ALL TIME FAVORITEST BOOK to read aloud...it is THE ONE
#2 is your go-to professional book

and there's more: Farley's RULE OF THREE,

It would be sweet, supportive, and following the rules...to look at the 2 link-ups in front of your link and then come back and look at the one behind yours...I hope there's someone behind me...lol...and comment on those 3...you can comment on more than 3, of course...

But, I'm not done...I was recently bestowed the One Lovely Blog Award

by these sweet bloggers:

Victoria

Carole Dawn

AND the Versatile Blogger Award

by these lovely bloggers: Patty at 2nd in Line and Patti at Tales From a 4th (and 5th) Grade Teacher, and

Sarah

AND the Liebster Blog Award

by this sweet blogger:

Melissa

Thank you, girlies :)

Now for the 7 shades of randomness that goes along with the VB award...(just nod your head if you got that reference...)

1. I moonlight as a cart girl (and sometimes bartender) at a local golf course...when you have a daughter in college, you do what you gotta do...plus, I get adult conversation...wait, after a few holes and a couple of beverages, they're not much different than my 6 and 7-year olds...

my sweet ride...see my friends Jack, Crown, Smirnoff?

2. I know absolutely nothing about golf...see #1 above, but, hey it hasn't affected my duties...all I need to know is Jack, Crown, Smirnoff....

3. I am a self-proclaimed Bon Jovi freak! And, admitting your addiction is the first step...but, I don't want to recover!!! It goes basically like this, "Hi, I'm Monica, I love Jon." Well, not exactly like that, but how else does everybody know that I LOVE THIS BAND?!

4. I have a dog named Jovi...see #3 above...

5. I have a tattoo of the Bon Jovi smirk...see #3 above...I told you...I really wasn't exaggerating...

6. I missed a Bon Jovi concert due to food poisoning at Mason's Geli...I shall not speak the name of the place that nearly killed me...as you can see, I'm still not over my anger and disappointment...and I tell everyone I talk to...so don't go there!!! Ok, I'm better now :)

notice my still untorn/ unused ticket :(

7. I can fit through the doggy door at my house...now THAT needs a lil' back story...my boyfriend and I were about to go to Simply Fondue (where you get to dip everything) for my birthday dinner this past Saturday...we had reservations...well, when we got into his truck, he realized that he didn't grab his keys. So, he looks at me, "Where's your keys?"...I'm like, "They don't fit in this"....(duh!!)

holds phone, I.D., and lipstick ONLY

So, alas...we were locked out...we checked the Jeep (it has a garage remote) and his Infiniti (it has the garage door-button memory thing)...but, for once, they were also locked. My SUV is in the closed garage. I know...two people, four vehicles, don't ask...SO, not only did we not have any keys to drive anywhere, we did not have any way to get in the house to get keys...

UNTIL, he says to me, "You're gonna have to go in the doggy door." Huh, what?! He's watched one too many Mission Impossible movies...I'm thinkin' we're callin' a cab (woo-hoo first-time cab ride), and we'll figure this out later...

You may wonder why that idea popped in his head so easily and freely, and I blame that on my dear daughter...who casually mentioned that she'd done it a few times when she'd forgotten her keys...(and I'm hoping that was the reason...)

BACK to me and the situation (I've kinda always wanted to say that):

REMEMBER, people...I am birthday-dinner dressed, so my hair is done, and I'm wearing a dress (not the usual tank top and shorts)...thank goodness the doggy door is not in the front of the house...else I would have some 'plaining to do to my neighbors...

As I stand there...he's telling me "go feet first"...no way am I doing that...it's not a freakin' slide for cryin' out loud...so I go in head first...thinking I MUST be caught in an episode of Bloopers/ Funniest Home Videos/ Punk'd...

gross, gross, GROSSNESS!!!

BUT, I made it in alive...got refreshed and grabbed not only his keys, but MY keys, too...silently cursed his adult ADD that put us in this situation to begin with...and went on our way...

Arriving with just minutes to spare, dinner was amazing...and I got a slice of cheesecake and some champagne on the house...

I will never look at the doggy door the same way again...

And that, my friend, is all...you probably feel like you got to know me a wee bit more than you wanted to, huh?!

What have YOU had to do when you've gotten locked out of your house???