Currently July

It's time for Currently, thanks to Farley from Oh Boy 4th Grade!

Here is what is happening currently in my life.

Listening
It's amazing what you hear when you have time to listen.  I'm not a very good listener.  Honestly, I just can hardly stop talking long enough to listen.  If I had to describe how my brain works in three words it would be "supersonic hamster wheel" (perhaps that is 4 words).  My mouth works the same way.  That might make me a bad friend, but at least I'm aware and thinkin' about trying to start fixin' the problem. :)  Anyway, I do love to listen to birds chirping.  The fact that I have time to listen makes it even better.

Loving
Yesterday, my 7 year old son competed in a 25 meter swim race for our swim club's swim team.  He's not even on the swim team, but based on his performance during lessons they invited him to try it.  It was his 8th time swimming a full lap in the "deep lap pool" and he there he was in a real race.  We're callin' him brave boy!  

Speaking of brave, one of my friends recently introduced me to the Brave Girls Club.  It's all about girls being good to each other.  I love their daily messages and my ten year old daughter and I started our own "Brave Girls Club" journaling project this summer.  We journal about the daily prompts they send out.  She makes an entry and I make an entry on the same topic for the day.  My daughter is brave, but I want her to feel empowered to be herself, respect others who are different and encourage other girls by being positive.  

Thinking
A camping we will go...for 17 - 20 days depending on the weather.  We can't wait!  But that means a ton of packing and preparing.  

Wanting
Oh how I wish chocolate, french fries, banana cinnamon milkshakes, running and weight loss would go well together.  Don't worry, I also eat healthy things. I've been running...but life seems too short to give up all the things I love to eat.  I used to be able to just run more and lose any unwanted weight.  Now, not so much. Blah, blah, blah.

Needing
manicure - on the schedule for tomorrow
fresh highlights - gonna let the sunshine reflecting off the lake during my trip take care of that and then I'll schedule an appointment when I emerge from the woods
exercise plan for the school year - wish I could figure that out between soccer, baseball, dance and piano lessons

Tips, Tricks, Hints
It's important to remember why you started blogging.  It is easy to get caught up and in over your head.  The bottom line is that I need balance and I give myself a limit when I sit down to blog, create and/or network online.  For that reason, I don't post as often as some.  I miss some posts by my favorite bloggers and sometimes I am out of the loop on certain things.  That being said, I still feel super grateful for each of you who read my blog, excited when I talk to my best blogging friends and inspired by the wonderful ideas that teachers are willing to share.

Carpe Diem!  I'm off to do just that with a little bit of relaxing (my OLW) on the porch with my own little ones and a pile of books.

 

Hello Bloglovin'

Goodbye Google Reader...hello Bloglovin'! For the past few years, lots of you have been reading your favorite blogs via Google Reader. As of July 1st, Google Reader is "going away" (whatever that means). I hope you'll stick with me and Funky First Grade Fun no matter how you follow. 

 You can now follow my blog on Bloglovin' by clicking on the image below.

It's easy...I promise.

Hope you'll join me! 


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Time for Throwback Thursday!

It's time for Throwback Thursday! Throwback Thursday is like a blast from the past, hosted by Cara from The First Grade Parade!

Here is one of my most popular posts from 2011!  It's all about my super spelling slippers!  You can read it by clicking on the image of our slippers below.

Oh, how I love summer...

Back to School Books Linky Party

We just finished school on June 7...but the summer is best time to shop for books from my classroom.  Or maybe it's just about having time?  Whatever the case, I love books and I love shopping.

I'm linking up with First Grade and Fabulous to share some of my favorite books for the first week of school...

My favorite back to school book is called Hands as Warm as Toast.  The author, Lisa Himle, is a colleague and a friend of mine.  It is really a perfect story to read during the first few weeks of school or any time that a child may be feeling nervous or unsure about trying something new.  

Listen Buddy by Helen Lester is a hilarious story about the importance of listening. My students always  love this book!

I use We Share Everything by Robert Munsch to remind my first graders about my expectations for sharing in our classroom.

During the first few days, while I'm introducing rules, I read Following Rules and Respecting Others by Robin Nelson.  Both are nonfiction books with real photographs.

Excuse the blurry pictures...I guess that is what happens when I snag images.

Don't forget to head over to First Grade and Fabulous to check out the other books teachers are using for the first week of school!

New Girl on the Block

In May, I met a Kindergarten teacher at Kim Adsit's Differentiated Instruction for the Little Guy presentation. Her name is Kristin and she mentioned that she might be starting her own blog. Kristin was so sweet and it was fun to talk to her at the conference. She did start her own teaching blog! You can check it out by clicking on her button below.
I hope you'll stop by to visit Kristin and I hope Kristin will keep in touch! 
 

Wish Jar Freebie

Last year, I posted about the Parent Wish Jar that I use at Open House. You can read my original post here. I made a few new versions of the label for the jar and a few new versions of my "wish jar slip" for parents to write on at Open House. I ask parents to fill out one wish for their child's school year at open house. My school has open house the week before school starts.  You could do a wish jar anytime at the beginning of the year.  This is an old picture of my wish jar from last year. I have not decided which new label to use yet.

Click on the image below to see the new labels and parent wish slips.  

Please follow my store  and/or vote for this freebie if you like them enough to download them.

I'm linking this post to TBA's Freebie Friday!  

Happy Friday (but isn't every day a Friday in the summer)!  YAHOO!

Pen Pal Letters

A few days ago, I mentioned that I would be posting about my summer pen pals.

At the end of each school year, I give each student an envelope and invite them to be my pen pal over the summer. The envelope is for their first letter to me. I put a label on it with my address and attach a little note to explain this writing opportunity to their parents.

Last summer, I received 27 letters from my students. Not every student wrote to me, but many of the ones who wrote sent more than one letter over the summer. I promise the children that I will write back to them each time they write to me (and I send stickers for them with every letter). Some children use a letter writing form that I included in their summer packet. 

 We just finished school on June 7. So far, I've received 5 letters from my class. This one made me cry...so sweet!

Emma moved to our school (from another state) on my birthday. We immediately decided she was my "birthday present" and what an amazing little birthday present she turned out to be! I miss seeing her face each morning too. 

 I am enjoying these summer days though. I woke up early and went for a quiet run (hooray for me). Then my family started the day at our swim club with trampoline lessons for both kids and swimming lessons for our little guy. Then we had a picnic and I took a nap. Then it was off to dance class for my daughter. This evening, we squeezed in a family bike ride and a long dog walk. The weather is beautiful here this week. I am so grateful for this time to be with my family. Life is good! 

 Happy summer to all of you!