Running, reading, and teaching

Short post tonight.

Running: Trying to do a “Running with zombies” October running challenge. Run everyday for 31 days even if it’s just 1/2 mile. So far 2/2!! Yippee!

Reading: Trying to expand my “genres” since I’m asking the same of my 6th graders. Fantasy is one of my least favorite genres so…. Started James and the Giant Peach last night. Like it so far! Yay!

Teaching: Trying to keep my head above water as I implement so many NEW things this year. Introduced my kids to “close” reading today with a short passage. Had a reluctant reader LOVE it. The discussing, analyzing, predicting, questioning, annotating. Hooray!

Those are the positive things since I know you don’t want to hear about the negative things. Heck, I don’t want to write about the negative because then I’ll start feeling negative! 🙂

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!

Peanut, my awesome dog, says good night!

More Alabama Tornadoes!

Well, it’s happened again! More tornado weather has hit Alabama, and this time it was a little too close for comfort. One hit Eagle Creek (about 15 miles from my home) and another one hit Buttston (about 9 miles from my home). We were spared again. This time we actually left our home to take shelter in a neighbor’s basement. I’m thinking it’s time for a storm shelter to be built into the little hill behind our house!

One person did lose their life during this storm in Tallapoosa County where I live. My heart goes out to their family as well as everyone else that was affected by this devastating tornado.

Here’s a news clip about the tornadoes that hit the areas near my home.

http://www.wsfa.com/category/195969/video-landing-page?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6807351#.T1Ot2oGyoV4.facebook

And as always-thanks Kim at Joy in 6th Grade for checking on me!!!! 🙂 It’s such a good feeling to have cyber buddies that care!!

Hunger Games bribe….

So this is what a student slapped down on my desk the other day.

$.75 cents to get me to give them the next copy of The Hunger Games instead of letting it go the next person on the signup list!!!!!!!

I almost fell out of my chair laughing!!!!! And he was serious! 🙂 I HAVE GOT to get more copies of this book!

Here’s a picture of our signup wall so that when someone finishes a book that is wanted, they will know who to give it to next. As McDonalds’ slogan goes-“I’m Lovin It”. 🙂

 

I will be back!

I’m sorry that I’ve not been posting regularly like I had intended to. Things have been crazy busy. 🙂

Trying to take care of family has kept me busy lately. AND I hit a deer and MESSED UP MY CAR!!!

This is what deer look like in my dreams or when I see them wandering through a field.

 

 

 

 

This is what I want deer to look like from now on. 🙂

Joy of books video

Here is oh such a cute video about the possibility of what books do at night in a bookstore when everyone else is sleeping.

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/653040–video-the-joy-of-books

The Hunger Games continues

So I’ve read The Hunger Games and Catching Fire and am now on Mockingjay. Why does life get in the way of reading????? 🙂 I didn’t get a chance to read much today and still can’t tonight because I am STILL working on my part-time job deadline. “Procastination” is my middle name. And it hurts. To have to do tickets and spreadsheets INSTEAD of read. Sigh. Here’s a poster that I thought was pretty funny AND fitting for me.

Anyway, this trilogy ROCKS!!!! Wearing my “District 12 Tribute” t-shirt tomorrow AND doing a booktalk on The Hunger Games for my 6th graders. I hope it catches the eyes of my reluctant boy readers-and I have QUITE a few this year.

I’ll check back later when I have more time and give you an update on something. Maybe my part-time job stuff. Maybe the fact that I didn’t make my deadline because I chose to read………

Some holiday cheer!!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful time with family and friends during Christmas! Here’s something I thought might make you chuckle a little (sort of relieve all the stress that you MUST be feeling with little ones smothering you all around you, in-laws breathing down your neck helping you in so many ways, the baking that is now making you want to regurgitate providing a sense of comfort, and the downright stress loveliness that comes from wrapping gifts. 🙂

Enjoy and have a wonderfully, exciting, glorious Merry Christmas!!!!!!

A Tree of Books

Isn’t this one of the prettiest sights you have ever seen??????

 I got this idea from PINTEREST. We made ours smaller than the picture that I had found-didn’t want the books to come crashing down! One student said it was the “Tree of Knowledge” to which I responded that some people don’t partake of it near enough! 🙂