Spring Forward!

It's that time of year again to turn our clocks ahead one hour to welcome the season of Spring!


I must admit(although I love winter)that I'm ready for spring to be here. Normally, Florida winters are extremely mild, but this winter has been different than the norm! It's been a cold few months here lately, and believe it or not, I'm ready for Spring. I like when it stays lighter longer...and it means summer is close! I just like this time of year. But, I never like losing an hour of sleep. Who does?

This weekend has been low-key so far. FCAT testing is an exhausting week, and I'm not sure why considering teachers aren't taking the test and really, the students should be the ones exhausted (which I'm sure they are!) but all of the teachers are just as exhausted! I think it must be walking on our feet during the whole testing time and doing nothing but circulating the classroom until time is called. Up one row of desks, down the next...over and over and over again! Thankfully, there are only two more days of testing this week and then it's over for this school year! Our school sure is anxious to see our improvements!

Last night Dayna and I went to good 'ole Frostbite in Frostproof. Great little restaurant for a quick dinner! Today, I slept in for a good while, got up, ate some waffles, and then went back to sleep for another hour and a half. Lazy? Some would say. But...what did I really need to be awake for today? Grading papers could surely wait! I had planned on creating a unit for my students to learn about the Census since 2010 is a census year and there are a lot of fun things we could do with that in 5th grade...but that will take motivation to do. Maybe tomorrow!

Today Dayna and I went to the Lake Wales lake and "explored." Today was a beautiful day here in Florida! We saw a gator...I think they're so intriguing! Then we went to Big Lots to look around...we truly are living the life in Lake Wales, FL! Ha! Then we went to KFC for dinner. I ate more biscuits than I should have. ;)

I really do need to get some school stuff done this weekend, so hopefully that will be done tomorrow. I need a productive day, but I also needed a day like today...a day to chill!

Pauline...

...is the name of the 7 year-old Kenyan girl I'm now sponsoring through Compassion. Compassion is a Christian based organization that exists to help children living in poverty in various countries throughout the world. Through the monthly $38 Compassion sponsors pay, these children are given educational opportunities, health care, social skills training, and opportunities to hear about the good news of Jesus...that they would not have had otherwise. I'm a follower of MckMama and she and her husband are currently on a missions trip in Kenya, blogging about their trip with Compassion. Jennifer is posting many powerful pictures that speak for themselves. In just this week alone while she and her husband have been in Kenya, they have led 398 people to become sponsors of children who live daily in conditions we would consider unsafe, unhealthy and just plain awful. I think that number, 398, is amazing. A week ago, 398 children were without sponsors, but thanks to MckMama's firsthand witness and the tug on many hearts, almost 400 children have just been given some amazing opportunities.

It was hard choosing one child to sponsor, as there were so many of them waiting for sponsors. I chose a 7 year-old girl named Pauline who is one of six children. She attends church activities and sings in the choir-two things that I was very much a part of in my childhood. I only know basic information about her now, but in a few weeks, I'll receive a packet in the mail with her picture and some more detailed information about her. I can't wait to "meet" her! I'll be able to tell her who I am too, after receiving that packet. I am so excited to have made this decision; I'm glad to know I'm helping a child in another continent have exposure to education, healthcare and the knowledge of Jesus and his saving grace!

I encourage you to stop by MckMama's blog and see for yourself just what her trip has been like in Kenya. People she's met, things she's seen, and most of all, how it's changed her perspective dramatically. She currently has 4 children and is pregnant with another. Her and her husband sponsor a young girl in Kenya, but during this trip they have made the decision to sponsor four more children- one Compassion child to sponsor for each of their biological children. Wow. Such an inspiration, right?

I'm not rich by any means...in fact, I'm a recent college graduate and have many bills to pay. But $38 dollars a month is something I know I can give up for a good cause, such as Compassion. I want to do it. I believe in the purpose of this organization, and I know my money is being spent directly to help Pauline. God calls us to be servants, and although I'm not directly, face-to-face serving Pauline, I believe she will be helped with my monthly donation.

If you feel led to sponsor a child in a poverty-stricken country, please visit here. You can browse by country, gender, and age of the child.

Thank you, God, for the opportunity to serve one of your children. My prayer is that Pauline will come to know you and in return, serve as many she can with the gifts you have given her.

Long Day

Today was a long day. It was the first day of FCAT testing. For those of you out-of-state readers, FCAT stands for Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. It's a big and serious day, for both students and teachers. This post would bore you to tears if I completely explained the whole thing, so I'm not going to. Anyway...it was a long day as most days are as a school teacher when your normal schedule is off, even just a little bit. And so it was. I left school by 4:00. Earliest I've left work in the 9 weeks I've been teaching. Testing again tomorrow, and Wednesday...oh yeah, and then again on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, too!

Long days ahead.

So I leave work at 4:00. I had plans to deposit a check and then head home. Earlier than usual, I was stoked. I could have been home by 4:30, but wasn't home until 5:45. To say that I was frustrated would be an understatement. Nothing about that "going to the bank trip" was easy, whatsoever. I only work in Lakeland, don't live there yet. So when I venture off, I use my GPS to guide me, or so I think it's "guiding me." I type in 'Bank of America' in the GPS, and it takes me to a place that used to be a Bank of America. Thanks, GPS! So, I type in 'Bank of America' again, and it takes me to the one downtown. I drive downtown. Let me mention how terrible the traffic was. Oh, and then the train that literally had traffic backed up for 5 minutes. I'm sorry, but 5 whole minutes for a train is a little long. I just wasn't in the mood to watch a train go by. Sometimes it's cool, but not today. I finally get to the Bank of America downtown-they close at 4. By now, it's 4:30. Out of luck...again. Let's try this one more time. I type in 'Bank of America' (time #3) and it takes me like 7 miles away...but danget, I was depositing that check! (I know other banks that have drive-thru windows are usually open 'til 5..and how ticked I'd have been if I was wrong, but thankfully I wasn't!) So, as I'm following this new route, I need to switch lanes. I have my signal on, but no one wanted to let me in. So I missed the turn and had to make a u-turn up ahead. (Little things like that are usually no big deal...but by this point I was over it!) After that, I finally pull up at the bank's drive-thru and put my check and deposit slip in and literally like 30 seconds later, it's returned to me. That fast. It took an hour to drive around Lakeland traffic and find an open bank-all for a 30 second transaction. Not complaining about the quick transaction, just about the whole long process it took to get it done!

I think I'm rambling at this point. I typically don't like to focus on the little negative things, but...it's just one of those days.

Goodnight!

A Day in the Life of a New Teacher!

This week at Kelly's Korner "Show Us Your Life" is What Is Your Typical Day Like? I thought it'd be fun to share the typical day of my new life as a teacher, finally in the "real world!"

P.S. The reason I say "new teacher" is because I recently took over my class at the beginning of January-I just graduated college in December.

I get up each morning by 6:30. 6:20 would be the best time, but I'm not good at waking up in the mornings. I love my sleep and I love to sleep in. (I get to do that tomorrow, yes!!) But anyway, I wake up and use the restroom and things and begin my make-up routine, get dressed, pack up my lunch and walk out the door by 7:10-7:15. I have to be at work by 8:00 and I usually get there between 7:40-7:50. (I have a 35 minute commute to and from work.)

Once I'm in my classroom, I turn on my computer and SMART board, check e-mails, and walk up to the front office to sign in and check my mailbox. Then I go back to my classroom to get things in place for the day. My students come in by 8:15 and they have their own morning procedures...whether or not they follow them is another story! Ha!

8:30-10:30 I teach reading. We practice reading skills, read poems to practice fluency, find context clues for vocabulary words, and work on comprehension of stories and passages. The second hour of reading is spent at stations/centers for the students while I work with reading groups in a smaller setting.

10-30-11:30 I teach math. We begin with a mini lesson which focuses on FCAT related test material and then I finish with our regular math lesson. I enjoy teaching math!

11-30:1:00 I teach science. We begin with a mini lesson and then usually go to the Science lab for regular science instruction.

1-1:30 Lunch. It always goes by so fast. I am so looking forward to having my Coke by this point. :)

1:30-2:20 Monday-Computer Lab; Tuesday-Library; Wednesday-Friday- Math review/Writing/Social Studies

2:20-3:10 My students are at their specials and this is my planning period. This 50 minutes always goes by so fast!

3:15 Dismissal. I pick up my students from specials at 3:10 and the bell rings at 3:15...those last 5 minutes are C-R-A-Z-Y! Especially on days when they're coming back from P.E., they're just wild!

3:15-3:45 My duty to remain on campus, but I usually stay until 5-6 most days because I'm a new teacher and I'm just learning how to get everything done to be as prepared as possible each day!

After I leave, I drive home and either Dayna, I, or both cook something for dinner, **warm something up for dinner** or put the responsibility on someone else and pick it up through a drive-thru, ha! Hey, we're single girls in our 20s, we're allowed to eat out...healthy or not!

Then I normally just chill out for a little while, check Facebook and e-mail and read blogs. It's such a release for me, seriously! Then I'll grade papers if I need to, look over lesson plans for the next day, and other things like that. Sometimes I'll clean up the kitchen or put clothes away, run to Walmart or the store if I need anything, etc. By 10:00 if not sooner, I'm headed for the shower and like to be in bed between 11-11:30. Between that time, I pick out my clothes for the next day, do my devotions and read my Bible, and get everything packed up ready for the morning. I still am running on college student sleep mentality, but it's slowly taking its toll since I have to get up so early every morning now!

Well, that's my ever-so-exciting new life in a nutshell! I can't complain though because I like consistency and I'm so thankful to have a job! I love being a teacher!

American Idol!

Are you into this popular singing talent show?

Back in high school, I watched American Idol regularly with my family. Then, in college, I didn't stay as in tune with the seasons of the show. I'm not a big TV watcher in general, but I do find it fun and relaxing to have a show planned to watch for the evening. (I'm also into Glee and can't wait to see it again next month!) But anyway, I'm really enjoying "getting into" this season's American Idol.

My favorites of the girls are DiDi Banami and Crystal Bowersox. I think they both have natural talent and unique voices. Last night, the judges were so harsh on DiDi and I was so afraid that meant she would be cut tonight, but I'm so glad she wasn't! I felt sorry for her because the judges just didn't have anything nice to say at all and it wasn't as bad as they were making it sound...in my opinion. And of course, I do not have the title of American Idol Judge, but just sayin'. I'm looking forward to hearing her sing again next week! And Crystal is so unique and natural, too. She's her own person and does really well up on stage!

DiDi


Crystal

And my favorite of the guys are Andrew Garcia and Alex Lambert (I think.) Still not completely sure of my most favorites, but these are the two I'm going with for now. Andrew hasn't had the best song choices the last few weeks, but his awesome voice still shines through. Alex is good too and I could totally hear him on the radio someday. The mullet sure is interesting to look at, too! Ha!


Andrew


Alex

During American Idol tonight, Dayna (my roommate and best friend) and I had these for a snack...

They were gone in less than 5 minutes! They were so good! I told one of my students who is currently trying his hardest to show improvement in his behavior at school that if he had a good week, I'd buy him his favorite ice cream treat, and instantly he answered, "Snickers bar." Well, it was just a better idea to buy them in a package at Publix rather than pay $2 for one at the gas station; that's cheaper, right? ;) That's my rationale at least! It's a win-win situation for everyone! Anyway...back in high school when I watched American Idol regularly with my family, the ice cream truck would come by our street on Wednesday evenings, and my sisters and I would always get a sweet treat from our ice cream "lady" and save it until American Idol came on. So, I'm sort-of carrying on that tradition...and in reality, just making a new excuse to eat junk. Who am I kidding? I don't need an excuse! :)

We are one week closer to knowing who our next American Idol is going to be! Can't wait for next week's episodes! Who are your favorites?

ABCs of Me!

I saw this on another blog, and thought it'd be fun to post on mine. Enjoy!

a-Age- 23

b-Bed size- Queen

c-Chore you hate- Scrubbing the shower/bath tub

d-Dogs Name- My family's dog is Jack, however, I live on my own and do not (and probably won't ever have my own dog!)

e-Essential to start your day- Bathroom- including restroom, face, and teeth! :)

f-Favorite color- Purple

g-Gold or Silver- Silver

h-Height- 5'2"

i-Instruments you played- none...but I can sing, and I need to get back into it regularly, I miss it!

j-Job Title- 5th grade teacher

k-Kids- Love them, but do not have my own...yet!

l-Living arrangements- A cute little brick apartment with a green front door and green shutters with my amazing friend, Dayna!

m-Mom's name- Eileen (also my middle name!)

n-Nicknames- Kait, Kaiti, Kato, Kitten, Pringle, Poot

o-Overnight hospital stay other than your own Birth- None, thankfully!

p-Pet Peeve- People who pull out in front of me and drive soooo slowly, or people who drive way under the speed limit in general, just annoying!

q-Quote from a movie- "Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?"

r-Right or Left handed- Right

s-Siblings- Kiernan, Korinne and Keleigh

t-Time you wake up- 6:30 a.m. which is too early in my book

u-Underwear- all the time!

v-Vegetable you dislike- Cooked carrots, broccoli...here this is easier, let me tell you the vegetables I do like: peas, green beans, and corn!

w-Ways you run late- Mostly all the time I'm late or really close to being "almost late"...except to work. I manage to do that just fine...must be the pay. ;)

x-Xrays- I had one on my back in high school...and regular dental ones, but that's all!

y-Yummy food you make- Cake, Cookies, Pie...you see the trend? (Refer to my last post, I'm so healthy! ha!)

z-Zoo animals- Kangaroos!

This time of year means...

...Girl Scout cookies! Aren't they good?

I used to be a Girl Scout back in the day...for about 3 years and then I became bored with it. I'm not one for camping..and I was just over it. I always, always, enjoyed the cookie selling though. My mom has always been supportive of my siblings and I in any clubs, sports or organizations we were part of. (I love that about her!) So, anyway, during girl scout cookie "season" she always helped me achieve my cookie selling goal and we made a home assembly project of sorting through the cookies and delivering them once they had come in. I still remember exactly how we did it. She even went as far as making a paper slip that had my name on it, a mini thank-you, and the amount of money owed. We would rubberband that paper with the bundle of cookies. We had the system down pat. (This is making me sound REALLY nerdy, isn't it? It was forever ago, and at least I admit to it! Ha!) Oh and just to top off my nerdy streak here...I remember one year I sold around 400 boxes of cookies and won the top prize in my troop or something. You're proud, aren't you? ;)

This year I was asked by a student in another class at the school I work at, and I'm all about supporting students, of course, as that is the very nature of my job! I bought only two boxes of my favorite kind-Samoas and Trefoils.

A lovely coconut and chocolate creation!


Simple shortbread sweetness!

In so many ways, I cannot believe I just dedicated this post to Girl Scout cookies. I feel like the biggest nerd. However, I love cookies and these cookies are good! And Girl Scouts of America-you're welcome for the plug! ;)