Family Fun

I’m allergic to dust.

July 15, 2014 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 3 Comments

It’s a good thing blogs can’t collect dust, because I’m allergic and this one would be covered. I think by now we’ve established that my time management skills outside of my classroom leave a little to be desired!

I was so busy this year fulfilling my many roles that every time I sat down to blog {or finish one of the nine million projects I have for TpT} I fell asleep. No joke — life with a newborn while commuting, teaching, being a team leader, and creating meant several times a week I’d fall asleep in my office!

Luckily it’s summer, and while I’m still teaching {first time doing summer school and I *puffy heart* love it!}, I’m getting back into the groove of being a better blogger!

If you follow me over on Instagram {if you don’t, you SHOULD! I do things like smell new scents of Mr. Sketch markers so you don’t have to!} you’ve probably seen a few of these, but if you haven’t, this was the 2013-2014 school year in a nutshell!

I started the year off with a new alphabet {soon to be in my store — see, yet another project I never posted!} and a still-color-filled room. I even managed to paint my focus wall Oz-green. I somehow did not take a picture. D’oh.

My little guys kept growing and I started missing them like crazy. TMI-alert: I also spent WAY too much time in my classroom bathroom pumping. I think I calculated I spent 90+ hours this school year doing that (not during my contract time).

I won the Red Ribbon Week door decorating contest and got my class a pizza party. And yes, I agree that drugs are despicable, unless they are in fact for a TERRIBLE kidney infection and kidney stones. Then they, and nearly a week off, are SO. TOTALLY. NECESSARY, y’all.

LOTS of math anchor charts were made, and my students came to learn the only way I can remember inequalities (pictured above, right). I don’t know why the alligator thing never worked for me, but it didn’t. Even as an adult if I don’t do the 2 point/1 point method I can’t figure out the inequality. #teacherfail? Maybe.

Christmas Break came and I had never been so thankful in my life. OMG, y’all. The weeks before Christmas were trying enough, but my room flooded with, um, septic materials *gag* and I lost my classroom rugs. *HUGE SADFACE HERE* Those two Christmas cuties and TONS of NY pastries (love our yearly trip to visit family in LI) was TOTALLLLLLY worth the wait and made up for that stinkin’ (literally) flood.

So another reason I never got my resources uploaded, like that “All About Me” book pictured, was because of that little dude. I mean, REALLY. Seriously people, look. at. that. face. Every moment I didn’t *have* to be doing something for school I was doing something with that guy and his older brother. Because really. Look at him!

Oh, did I not mention the Polar Vortex and the million snow days? Including the one on Valentine’s Day (when I received that BEAUTIFUL and totally appropriate mug)? Yeah. Our pacing guide this year was trashed a thousand times over because between the VORTEX. OF. DOOM. and snow. and ice. And more snow. And more ice. We were out of school a total of TWELVE days. TWELVE. Plus TONS of delays. This meant we reduced recess (UGH), added 10 minutes to the school day (DOUBLE UGH), and extended the school year (TRIPLE UGH). The days were nice while they were happening, but… never again. #seriouslynoway

Speaking of days off… Spring Break was spent at the beach, the first time in almost a decade. I live so close, but it’s cost prohibitive to go for a vacation. Because it was the off-season we got a GREAT deal. Love Ocean City. Love it so much. #alsogainedliketwentypounds

We learned about Famous Americans, I got to teach about my favorite person ever (well, one of them — Ms. Susan B.!), and yet again I failed to upload this to TpT. Do you sense a recurring theme? Soon. It’ll be there soon.

After Spring Break we buckled down, did LOTS of opinion writing and started one of my favorite (okay, who am I kidding, they’re all my favorite) social studies units — Native Americans! Pictured are even more things I never uploaded or shared. Go figure, y’all!

Oh, and there was that time when we went to a giant Easter party on the White House lawn. Because clearly, that’s just what you do when you are a teacher! (Our school system was granted some tickets thanks to the generous staff at the White House, and it was the BEST EXPERIENCE EVER. Yes, we waited in line for eons, but everything was well organized, we got healthy snacks, met a ton of William’s favorite characters, and I got to see Mrs. Obama’s garden and bee-hive, which was totally my student’s favorite when I reported back the next morning!)

Behold, the best part of the year. LIFE CYCLE time, y’all! Again, an even larger plethora of things I didn’t upload! But seriously — nothing brings me joy like the discovery and investigation in this unit. This year we saved some of our science/grade level money to purchase monarchs and I might’ve totally jumped up and down when they were delivered (flown overnight from Florida). My kids were OBSESSED, and um, so was I. I look forward to this next year already — I’m thinking more monarchs this time and maybe some black swallowtails, too!

We closed out the year with LOTS of place value practice in math and Ancient Civilizations (oh look, look at that… more un-uploaded units!). The kids were GLUED to learning everything they could about Egypt and China, especially mummies. We totally geeked out and might’ve co-opted our entire language arts blocks to anything related to the two civilizations. Um, that’s cross-curricular learning, right? 😉

Since school let out I’ve been spending some quality time with these dudes, teaching summer school (I know, I know — I just don’t know how to quit working!), and updating my yearly teacher planner. That should be done by the end of the week, and then it’s on to uploading the other nine million things I created this year but never had time to package!

That, ladies and gents, is how to fit an entire year into one blog post.

I’ve got mad skills!

A little bit of this, a little bit of that…

August 17, 2013 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 1 Comment

First things first — have y’all heard? I’m sure you haven’t, because clearly, I’m so ahead of the game and everything. A little birdie told me there’s a GIGANTIC back-to-school sale coming this Sunday…

I’m so excited, y’all. SO EXCITED. I have about a million things I need to move from my wishlist to my cart, and I can’t wait!

I’m also excited to be *participating* in this sale — with all of my newly revamped items (go to your purchases and check for updates!) and my newest item, my Marvelous Math Meeting (blog post coming Sunday about this amazingness I’m super excited about).

Now, time to disclose my whereabouts these past several days…

I’ve been tackling this:

Ugh, I am having heart palpitations just looking at it. I still have the better part of 10 days until Open House to fix it, but STILL! Would you look at that mess? Empty bulletin boards? No order?

I’ve been doing a lot of this:

Not pictured: IKEA. My wallet is hurting. HUR-TING.

And this happened:

Ugh. At all times to go kaput, it chooses back-to-school when I need it the most! This isn’t the first Canon to die on me way too early, so this happened:

And. I. Love. It. LOVE LOVE LOVE. It is such a powerhouse (HELLO multiple trays!) and the print quality is superb. Love.

But most importantly, I’ve been trying to spend some time with these guys:

We spent the whole day together today, and I didn’t go into school. I needed to just focus on them, and my husband, and how much I’m going to miss our time as a family of four — which we’ve just started getting used to! Le sigh. Say a prayer for me to get through next week being away full days; both Henry (he’s not even three months!) and I are having some separation issues!

I’ll leave you with this mighty cool video of our impromptu evening adventure — plane watching at National Airport! You can hear my not-so-little aviator excited as all get-out in the background.

Let’s talk about…

August 13, 2013 by Sarah Plum(itallo) Leave a Comment

1. I make cute kids. I may not be cute, but my kids sure as heck are! See the photographic evidence above.

2. I met my husband (pictured above, with our boys) through a mutual online friend online — in 2004! Before online dating was cool! In true “I’m totally ashamed of how we met” fashion, I hid his existence from my parents for months. But my Mom? She totally knew. Hmph, mothers.

3. I’m a wee bit obsessed with the Wizard of Oz (in case you couldn’t tell). I’m not even sure why, because I didn’t see the move in its entirety until I was adult — I was too afraid of the flying monkeys when I was a kid.

4. I have a touch of OCD (see above “hole-punch guide”) when it comes to organization and decor. My teammates will tell you that I’m not one to farm out my copying, printing, or laminating because everything has to be just so. Like rounded corners, for instance. I have to have them.

5. My youngest son and I were the same number of weeks premature (just about four) and he is totally my (skinner, because I was a fat-fat-fatty) doppleganger.

6. Bacon. That says it all.

7. I have trouble being on time, even when I leave early. For instance, it’s 1am. “Meet the Teacher” was Monday. It is now Tuesday. Oops!

8. I love laminating. The act of doing it. The act of cutting it. And all the pretty laminated things. Including borders (because I’m just that crazy).

9. I’m pretty sure I could teach second grade forever, as in I have no desire to check out the “greener pastures” in other grades. I love the standards for second grade, and the age is such a good fit for me. I’m pretty sure this means I’ve just sealed my fate of moving at some point, but we’ll see…

10. I refuse to hit “mark all as read” on BlogLovin’. REFUSE. I will read those 500 backlogged posts someday, right? Right? Again, this should be marked under “OCD tendencies.”

I’m not so sure that these were exactly “fun” things about me, but it’s 1am and this is what I got!

Now head on over and link up for Teacher Week at Blog Hoppin’!

Five for Friday

August 9, 2013 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 5 Comments

I do love a good linky party, so I’m very happy to be linking up with Kacey from Doodle Bugs Teaching for my first Five for Friday!

1. I’m still very much in vacation withdrawal… though the trip up was long (10 hours, y’all — it usually only takes 6!), I so enjoyed my time with our NY family. It was awesome to be able to be there to celebrate our incredible nephew’s graduation and bon voyage to college, and to be able to introduce him to his godson Henry. I miss everyone so much already!

2. The pile of lamination grows. And grows. Will I ever be finished cutting it? Le sigh.

3. I’m starting to get incredibly nervous about leaving this little guy each day. I’m nursing this time around, which has created a whole host of concerns and conundrums I never had with my first, William. I’m working around the logistics of being a nursing working Mom, pumping, etc. But most of all — I’m trying to figure out how I’ll not be a weepy mess the first week of leaving him! I stayed home with William until he was 11 months old, so this is a new one for me.

4. Yesterday was the first time our new second grade team met to plan — and boy was it awesome! I’m so happy to be joined by two fabulous ladies this year, and know that we’ll create an incredible year for our kiddos. To celebrate our new team, I made each of them (and myself) a back-to-school planning binder, complete with dividers and note pages for everything I could think of.

5. And speaking of that Back-to-School Planning Binder… how would you like to have one? I decided to start creating exclusive Facebook fan freebies, and finally figured out how to set it all up. To celebrate, I’m posting this 100 page freebie for you to enjoy! Just come on over to my Facebook page, select the “Fan Freebies!” tab, and like my page.

Currently … only a week late!

August 6, 2013 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 2 Comments

Better late than never, right? I’m linking up with Farley for Currently, one of my favorite linky parties! I love the insight it gives you into the goings-on in our (not so) little blogging community.

LISTENING: I’m up late as we’re preparing to drive back home to VA from Long Island early tomorrow, er, this morning — I can’t ever sleep right before a road trip! I’m the only one awake right now and I’m loving hearing nothing but those little sounds that let you know the house is alive.

LOVING: Catfish is totally my guiltiest pleasure. I will watch re-runs even though they’re spoiled; there’s something about this show that just hooks me in (see what I did there?) every time! Anyone watching the new season?

THINKING: I feel like my to-do list just keeps growing and growing and I’m starting to feel overwhelmed! I’m one of those “I have to do it all!” people, but I’m trying to reign it in this year. Not being pregnant will help… though there is that pesky newborn nursing every two hours…

WANTING: I totally only got my Note II earlier this year, but I already want the Note III! This is by far the best phone I’ve ever had! I love using my Bloglovin’ app and sketching ideas for lessons and what-not with my stylus.

NEEDING: One thing I’m definitely in need of is more portable-storage for my classroom so I can create more well-defined areas for my students to work. I’m planning on hitting up Big Lots, Walmart, Target, and Goodwill (you never know!) when we get back home.

B2S MUST HAVES:

I really regret not taking more pictures of my first class ever last year, so I’m planning on using That’s So Second Grade’s “Snapshots of Our Year” Classroom Timeline to create a designated spot for me to fill with classroom memories. I’m going to encourage my students to use our classroom iPad cameras, too!
I always love planner-shopping. You’d think I’d have an Erin Condren planner by now with my level of planner-obsession, but I actually like a planner without many bells & whistles. I found one I loved at Walmart that actually has Wizard of Oz-like poppies on it!
I use both the school laminator and my own personal laminators. Yes, I have two. One for my classroom at school (you know, for when I have to laminate something that very second) and one for home. I found generic laminating sheets that I love and work really well on Amazon (these, if you’re interested) and can buy a box of 100 for under $10 (monitor the price!).

Later this week I’m meeting for lunch with my new teammates (I’m the only one left from last year!) and may even head into my classroom for a “before” picture. I’ve got lots on my to-do list that I’ll be checking off, and I hope to share some of my plans for this year for beefing up my calendar time/math meeting.

Before I leave, congrats to Lauren from The Sweetest Thing, Karen from Flamingo Fabulous in Second Grade, and Nikki from Teaching in Progress — you guys won my Oz-Inspired Brag Tags (though thank-you to everyone that responded with a tip — I loved reading them)! And congrats to both Crystal from Ms. Jones’ Junction and Angela from Hippo Hooray for Second Grade — you guys won the pre-order of my Marvelous Math Meeting! I’ll e-mail everyone there winnings as soon as I settle back in at home tomorrow.