Family Fun – Page 2

There’s Someone You Should Probably Meet

June 21, 2013 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 7 Comments

You know what’s funny about good intentions? They’re just intentions. They’re not actual, you know, things that necessarily happen. Like my good intentions for blogging my first year as a teacher.

School’s out now, and I’m headed into the summer before my second year, and wow, could things not be any different. Let’s just say this year was incredibly difficult — and not just because I came in fresh-faced and just a wee bit naive.

The biggest reason my intentions didn’t exactly come to fruition?

Meet Henry Ellis.

Yep. I did pretty much the worst thing you can do your first year of teaching: I got pregnant. And subsequently had a completely adorable baby.

Shortly after my “I swear this is what’s coming up next on the blog!” post, I found out we were expecting Henry. His due date? June 26th. Pretty convenient, exactly one week after the teacher workday marking the end of the year.

Unfortunately, my body doesn’t do pregnancy too well, and by the beginning of April I was going to the doctor twice a week (oh, the sub plans), and by mid-May, I was practically on death’s door because it was just too much to try and teach all day, commute, come home to my 3.5 year old, and oh yeah, carry that little stinker up there.

My last day of school ended up being May 28th, and that handsome guy was born June 1st. It’s been a tiring three weeks, for sure — he is the grand champion of nursing and gaining weight, which is good considering he was a preemie and lost over a pound by the time he left the hospital!

My plans for summer, and this blog, are pretty low-key. Get back in the groove of things, share some things I made this year (some freebies!!!), share my reflections on my summer reading-while-nursing professional development, and create a little for the fall.

Oh. And a blog redesign. Because quite frankly, I’m sick of looking at those shoes and there is a place better than second grade: my bed. For a nap. Because oh, Henry.

P.S. Since Google Reader is going kaput in a few short days, you can follow my blog with Bloglovin instead. I actually like it better than Google Reader now that I’m used to it.

Send Out Search Party!

August 5, 2012 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 4 Comments

Just kidding! Here I am!

With less than three weeks to go until we report for new teacher induction, the mister and I decided that we needed a break. A change of scenery, a change of pace, and most importantly… some time to really have fun with our family on Long Island since we haven’t seen many of them since Christmas, and likely won’t be making a holiday trip up this year.

So we packed in under 90 minutes, hopped in the car, and made the six hour trip from Virginia! I’m so glad we did because I feel recharged already! This was a great move for us, as we’re going to come home refreshed and ready to really kick our preparations into high gear.

I brought a few things to work on — mainly things to cut out while we’re all sitting around laughing and watching TV — and a few professional development books to finish up… and of course, my famous “to do” book. I’m going to sketch out a master plan and schedule for the rest of the time before we report so that I make the most of it!

I’ll be back Monday for Monday Made It! (yes, even while on vacation) tomorrow! In honor of the amazing time I’m already having on Long Island (wish you all were here enjoying the Italian food, beaches, and laughs with me), I’m throwing a 20% off “Hooray for Vacations!” sale on my TPT store.

All You Ever Need to Know!

July 26, 2012 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 15 Comments

I have absolutely loved reading everyone’s posts from Amy Lemon’s linky party this week — it’s a window into your world and what makes you the person (and thus teacher!) you are. With several projects in the pipeline but still incomplete, I thought it would be fun to participate!

The setup of our living room on election night, 2008 — it was a big deal!

1. I did not set out to become a teacher — I actually set out to work in politics and the world of international diplomacy. Yep, quite a different world indeed! I’ve been a political/government/law nerd since I can remember; as a kid, I used to write mock speeches that I thought the current President or House Speaker should give. No, really. That’s just how much of a nerd I was (and let’s face it, still am)!

The National Zoo is one of my favorite places to take my camera.

2. Even after straying from politics/international relations, I still didn’t follow that little nagging voice that told me I needed to teach. Instead, I went to art school in New York City for photography. Like politics, I’ve always had a love of art — especially photography. There’s something about catching a single moment in time and freezing it forever that just sticks with you.

I was so exhausted — all I wanted was a banana and some Gatorade!

3. Despite struggling with a debilitating ankle injury my entire life (as well as being overweight), I decided to embrace life as if I didn’t have any limitations. And something really amazing happened — I became a runner. I run very, very very slowly, but I do it nonetheless. Last November, I completed my first half-marathon… despite a completely reconstructed ankle and every doctor I’ve ever had telling me it’d be impossible! What gave me confidence that I could do the marathon was this, which leads me to number four:

Underneath all that mud were some pretty cut-up feet and legs!

4. I love being barefoot. I own a pair of Vibrams, and live in them when I’m not totally barefoot. The picture above is what was the result of me completing a Marine Corps mudrace — only the second event I ever did as a runner. I started out wearing shoes but lost them in the second mudpit, which left me with 2+ miles on rocky terrain with the most difficult obstacles to overcome. I either had to do it barefoot, or I had to DNF the race, which I just could not bring myself to do! It’s a really good thing my feet are tough from all the years of me being barefoot willingly!

William was Woody this past Halloween! Thank goodness for play pajamas!

5. I love all things Disney, and cannot wait for us to be able to take William to Disney World! Both Mr. Plum and I will willingly watch most any Disney movie — especially Pixar. Our little guy has taken after us, so much so that if you quote most of the movies he’ll tell you which one you’re quoting! His current favorite is Monster’s Inc., but that rotates between Up!, Finding Nemo, and Incredibles quite regularly. (He’s also very, very into the Muppets.)

So there’s a few fun facts about me! Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a “Discovery” poster — I picked up mine from Costco this afternoon and will hopefully be sharing it tomorrow!

Lamination Power + An Adventure

July 14, 2012 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 9 Comments

I kind of have a love affair with laminating things. I might even hum my own parody version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song while I do it… It may or may not sound like, “Super Duper Hot Laminator… LAMINATION POWER!”

So it should be no surprise that I found immense joy in heading here last night:

*angels sing* I picked up the last of the bulletin board trim I needed, and then I laminated it. All of it. Several pieces of trim across, it still ended up being 55 (FIFTY-FIVE!!!!!) linear feet long. Thank goodness for $0.29/foot laminating!

Let the record show that after “rough” cutting all of it last night and cutting out all of the green trim you see there… I’ve learned my lesson. I’m never ever ever buying scalloped trim again. It’s awful. Not even mindless television could take my mind off of how awful it was to try and cut.

But before we came home and I tackled that behemoth, Mr. Plum, little guy and I took an impromptu “adventure” to our nation’s capital. After the teacher store. At 10pm.

It was so so so so so worth it.

I feel so privileged to live so close to our capital that, on a whim, my family and I (or my students and I), can see sights like this. That we can experience history and feel the magnitude of our collective journey as a country right there in the flesh.

Let me tell you, there’s nothing like seeing a child experience the awe of seeing President Lincoln, larger-than-life, for the first time. Or a child asking you with wonder, “who is that man coming out of that rock?” It was well worth keeping little dude up WAY past his bedtime:

I hope all of you have the opportunity to travel — more than once — to Washington, D.C. When you do, please please please make a trip to the memorials at night; it is so vastly different than the daytime experience and it is moving beyond belief. As a native to the area, even I still get teary-eyed walking up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at night, the Washington Monument and Capitol at my back.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a peek at some projects I’m working on, I’ll finally post that freebie, and I’ll finally (apologies to those of you that kindly thought of me!) round up the amazing awards I’ve been given over the past two weeks.

Happy Birthday, America!

July 4, 2012 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 2 Comments

This is one of my favorite YouTube finds, ever, and is totally appropriate for today! I’d like to think that TJ would approve and find the 21st Century depiction of him to be positively awesome.

I hope that everyone has a safe and wonderful Fourth of July, and gets to spend some time with those you love! I’ll be spending some quality time with my sweet husband and kiddo today, doing absolutely nothing.