Dang-it! I got caught!

Even though I ran as fast as my little legs would let me, I got tagged! Not by one. Not by two. But THREE quick-on-their-clicks ladies! :) {Thank you}

Since three pretty ladies nabbed me, I thought I better get to playing along before I get whacked again (how many times do you have to remind your little ones that they can NOT play tag at school?!...MY WORD)!

Ok.  The rules:

1)           You must post the rules. {check}

2)          Post 12 fun facts about yourself on the blog post.

3)          Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create 12 new questions for the people you tagged.

4)          Tag 12 people and link them on your post.

5)           Let them know you've tagged them! 

 Prepare yourself for a read that has everything to do with ME {for this, I apologize}...here we go:

FUN FACTS:

1. I LOVE speaking in front of people {my goal is to be an educational presenter one day...hopefully soon!}

2. I married the guy I started dating at the ripe age of 18.

3. My husband and I met through our parents {they went to high school and college together} after they got back in touch at their 25th high school reunion.  We then began IM-ing (remember when that was the IT thing to do). He lived in Boston. I lived in Gainesville, FL. He flew me up to meet him in person (which was okay because our parents were good friends) on Oct. 11, 2002.  The rest is history! :)

4. I am an animal activist (not the extreme kind though). I just love furry creatures...not slithery or slimy

5. Doc Hollywood was filmed in my hometown.

6. I've only seen snow twice. Not the fluffy white kind either. The slushy, wet, dark gray kind...not fun.

7. My hometown is where the recent 1-75 crashers occured this weekend. (My parents literally live 5 minutes from the wreckage).

8. I love mexican food.

9. I'm obsessed with the Hunger Games series.

10. I teach next to my best friend.

11. My husband drives an 86' ford F-150. It's amazing...except for when I have to drive it! ha!

12. Me and my coworkers refer to outfits as "so pinterest!" haha! If it looks like we pinned it on pinterest, it's 'so pinterest!" :)

okay. Now for my questions from my first tagger, my sweet friend from First Grade Delight: 

1. Do you have to sign in and out when you arrive and leave school? (including if you leave for lunch?) Yea, but it's not really regulated. So I could sign in for the entire week on Friday! :)

2. What is your favorite snack? banana with Nutella...obsessed 

3. What time do you usually get to work? By 7:15. This is my 'quiet time' to get things done. Teachers don't have to report until 7:45. 

4. What is your dream vacation? Australia 

5. Who is your favorite actor/actress? Jennifer Aniston & Ryan Ryenolds  

6. Have you ever had a bad habit that you have now overcome? I eat a lot of cookies...not going to get rid of that habit though. I have a sweet tooth that needs sweets! :) 

7. Is there a smell that you can’t tolerate? The kiddos bad breath...YUCK! 

8. Do you have a favorite sports team? Florida State Seminoles...that gives away where I live! :) I BLEED garnet and gold! 

9. What’s your favorite type of music? everything. 

10.What annoys you more than anything? going through financial problems when we both work so dang hard 

11. What is your favorite children’s book? that's WAY too hard. My two favorite growing up were Jessica and Imogene's Antlers 

12. How long have you been teaching? four years

Now for my questions from Sandra at Literacy Minute:

1.  What is your favorite snack? Banana's with Nutella

2.  Where do you shop for clothes? OMG....Forever 21, Gap, J.Crew

3.  What is your favorite TV show? HA!...all reality tv

4.  Do you have a pet? 2 boxers...best pups ever

5.  Who is your favorite children's author? Kevin Henkes

6. What is your favorite lesson to teach? I really enjoyed my inferencing and contraction units this year thanks to Cara and Abby!

7.  What travel spot do you like the most? the beach

8.  What is your guilty pleasure? all things sweet

9.  What do you like to do with your best friend? have a glass of wine and gossip (I know..both bad)

10.  What is your favorite magazine? Women's Health

11.  Who inspires you to be a better person? my mother

12.  What would you buy with an extra $100.00? I'd pay bills!

And, finally my questions from Sheri at 1st Grade Rocks:

Were you excited to be tagged? OF COURSE

What are you doing right now while trying to write this post???  Catching up on some reality tv and avoiding writing progress reports

What subject do you feel like you ROCK at teaching and why??? reading

What grades have you taught? K and 1

Who is the person that you go to for help when you need support at school? my mom (for venting) other bloggers for ideas

Do you have a lot of after school meetings? more than I would like

What do you do for reading interventions? differentiate!

What is your favorite blog post? hmm...well, which one do you like?!

Do you like comments on your blog posts? most certainly!

Are you a coffee person? can't function without it

What is your favorite show to watch on television? all reality tv shows

What great book have your read lately? Hunger Games

My 12 Questions:

1. Are you stuck in a 'high-stakes' year this year?

2. How long have you been teaching?

3. Did you initially graduate with a degree in education?

4. Have you always wanted to be a teacher?

5. What is the best conference you've been to?

6. Favorite 'adult' book you've read?

7. You vice?

8. Have any kiddos of your own?

9. Favorite vacation spot?

10. Favorite movie?

11. If you weren't a teacher, what would you do?

12. Top 3 bloggers?

And lastly...my 12 I've caught up to and 'tagged':

First Grade Fabulous Fish 
The Bubbly Blonde
Sailing Through First Grade

         Okay....so that's not 12 but I'm outta time.  If you're still here reading this God Bless You!!! :)

Numberline Games

This post was inspired by the wonderful Kim Adsit! One of the MANY things that I snagged from the conference I attended last week was differentiating math workstations.  I love simple and easy games that kids can play with little instruction.  Numberlines are one those workstations!

This game can be played SO many different ways.  Students can play to find even and odd numbers, add, subtract single or double digit numbers, multiply, divide!  You can even differentiate more by having your more 'advanced' students record their number sentences.  To learn how these games are played click HERE to be directed to Kim and Megan's blog Kingergals.  They give a great description of the basics to this game and direct you to the many units where you can purchase more themed numberlines that Kim has created.  

I spent today not only fighting a cold {uuggghhhh} but creating a numberline as well to use during my Valentine's Unit! All you need to do is print the copies on cardstock {for durability}, adhere to some construction paper {to create the numberline} and let the playing begin!  After creating the document, I realized I did not place a circle card to place in the middle for the starting point.  :(  I hate when that happens!
VDaynumberlines
Start Circles


Again, sorry you have to make two downloads! GGGRRR!!! I'll just blame it on the meds I'm taking for this awful cold. Now off to rest and read some more of Hunger Games.  Have you read that yet?!
OH. 
My. 
Gosh. 
It has taken over my life. It's so hard to put that book down! AHHHH-MAZING!

I saw a pig fly!

Ok.  Not really.  BUT I did get to meet one of my very own bloggy celebrities! 

This amazing woman...

KIM ADSIT! I mean this is one extraordinary woman.  

{side note...excuse the horrible pixels and pale white skin...photo was taken on my phone and...well, my skin has not seen sun in what feels like forever} {I also wish I had some extra time to jazz up the photo with a backdrop or something but since I don't, I think my over-plastered smile does the trick}

ok.  So I attended Kim's "DI for the little guy" conference today.  I'm pretty sure, aside from Kim, I traveled the furthest to be there.  3 1/2 hours one way for a one day conference.  Would I do it again? In a HEARTBEAT!  

I'm not sure if you remember {hopefully not} but I recently blogged about how stressed out, etc.. I was with this school year.  I had been bogged down by the stress and weight of assessments that I had lost sight of what I loved most about teaching...THE KIDS!  Today, that stress and weight was lifted.  Kim TOTALLY rejuvenated me to get my butt in gear and have some fun with these kiddos!  I left feeling excited, ready, and VALIDATED! Yes, VALIDATED!!!  I had so many TONS of 'aha' moments throughout this conference.  So many, "OMG! I'm already doing that!" and "WOW! She really gets it!" Maybe that's because she's been teaching (now retired) for 30+ years and KNOWS HER STUFF!

After getting some much needed ZZZZ's I'm going to get right to work on my LONG list of 'to-do's' that I have grabbed from Kim.  This weekend I'm going to be the "loser" (as Kim refers to herself) and stay home and get busy making these new creations.  Can't wait to post pictures and catch you up to speed on what I've learned from this awesome educator. I just LOVE learning! :)

If you're looking for an amazing conference be sure to check her out.  In the meantime you can find her on her blog she shares with her daughter, Megan at Kindergals or on her website.