Hello Hello Hello!
I’m obsessed.
I love Erin Condren planners.
I’m a lifer.
A die-harder.
Addicted.
Last year, my Erin Condren planner was also pink and gray, but I chose stripes.
I can’t seem to get away from the pink and gray (it is my fave color combo at the moment) so this year I went with the confetti pattern.
To say I love it is an understatement.
I use the life planner because I like to think of myself as having a life. 🙂 As far as school goes, I use a digital template so I don’t use Erin Condren’s teacher planner. Although, last year, they sent me one and I used it for my Guided Reading planning which worked out really well.
Hmmmm.
Maybe I DO need the teacher planner . . .
Anyways, I’m just a big ole nerd when it comes to planners. I like to write things down and use the stickers and carry it around in the crook of my arm like I’m still in high school and I’m a cheerleader or something.
Back in elementary school, I remember being obsessed with someone’s Trapper Keeper. I was green with envy. If I only I could have a Trapper Keeper, I remember thinking.
Well, TAKE THIS, Trapper Keeper.
I have an EC Planner.
🙂
Okay, so a photographer, I am NOT.
It was really dark outside so I tried to lighten the picture and this is what I got and then I said to myself I really don’t care, who cares, at least you can see a little of what’s happening, and hey! There’s Murphie!
So last weekend, Steve smoked ribs all day (LIKE ALL THE LIVELONG DAY) and cleaned out the backyard WHICH IS NOW NAKED, and we had friends over to help us eat all the food.
I’ve talked about Jason and Stacie a lot — they used to live right next door to us and we hung out all the time. We did neighborly things, and borrowed items from one another like Coca Cola and ketchup and ice cream . . . there was no shame in what we borrowed from each other, and we had countless dinners in our pajamas, and it was just so much fun living next door to them.
When they put their house up for sale, I cried on their front step.
Now, they live about a mile away and we go over there for almost every major holiday (Labor Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, New Year’s Eve . . . ) and we still get together all the time, and we travel together (last Spring Break, we all went to Mexico).
But I’m here to tell you that being NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS, as in RIGHT NEXT DOOR, is what I miss the most.
Well, anyway, they came over last weekend to eat and talk and chat, and we had the best time. It was so nice outside in the evening (it has been so so so hot here lately, I can’t even take it, I’m talking 106 degrees at 5pm) and even though you can’t see her, Stacie is sitting in the wood chair on the right with a glass of wine. And, as you can see, my glass of wine is on the left. 🙂
I just love friends that take no effort and even though your husbands decide to wear real clothes, you wear pajamas anyway. Because that’s what Stacie and I did. 🙂
Oh, hello again, Urgent Care.
I missed you so I felt the need to come back.
LISTEN TO THIS, and yes, it’s all TRUE, and I am NOT exaggerating:
Whilst in Mexico, I told Steve one day that my right ear felt clogged. I could get it unclogged by swallowing or blowing my nose, but, by and large, it was clogged. I even told him a few times that it was hard to hear out of it.
Shoulder shrug.
Well, when we got home, it kept doing the same thing. Clog, unclog, I’m annoyed, what is this, clog, unclog.
By the way, I PRIDE myself on how well I can hear. I mean, I can hear things I don’t think normal human beings should be able to hear. Like, say for for instance, I’m downstairs and Steve’s cell phone is upstairs, in his jeans pocket that he wore that day, in the bedroom closet, and he doesn’t know, and I’ll say you just got a text and he’ll say I don’t even know where my phone is. To which I reply I think it’s upstairs somewhere and you just got a text.
And sure enough, he’ll go on a search, find his cell phone in his jeans pocket which were in the closet, and he will have just gotten a text.
I feel like my amazing sense of hearing makes up for my lack of eyesight.
SO.
One day last week, my ear was REALLY clogged. So I went to Target to buy ear-wax-dissolving-something-or-other-drops (and $100 worth of who knows what else, it’s Target) and I tried that out. And, at first, I thought it made me deaf, but then it loosened up whatever was going on and then it was all good again.
But Tuesday, on the 4th of July, it was all clogged up again, so I tried the drops again.
BIG MISTAKE.
It never came unclogged.
It was like I was underwater. It was the STRANGEST feeling. It didn’t hurt, per se, but it was not comfortable.
I started thinking about that Mexico bug again. Maybe my tummy troubles weren’t the result of a REAL LIVE ACTUAL BUG, but what if my ear was?! WAS THERE A BUG INSIDE MY EAR?! Did I drown it with the drops?! Am I going to be on Untold Stories of the ER now? Am I falling apart? Is there no hope for me? What next, I ask you! WHAT NEXT?!
I went to Urgent Care the next day. But not until after I got my hair done, went to the local teaching supply store, and met a friend for lunch. I could only hear half of what everyone was saying, and my car never beeped at me to tell me anyone was in my blind spot or behind me when I was reversing, but #PRIORITIES.
The doctor looked in my left ear and said beautiful!
I felt proud.
He looked in my right ear and said Did you use a Q-tip?
And I was like Hey! I have good hygiene! Of course I used a Q-tip! And deodorant! And body lotion! And soap! And toothpaste! And so what if I don’t wash my hair every day – no teacher I know washes her hair every day, I could do a blog post on that topic all on its own because it’s an actual phenomenon!
So I said um, yes, you’re supposed to. I use Q-tips every day, as a matter of fact.
Well, he went into this whole thing about I really don’t know what, and drew some pictures of my ear canal and what-not on the butcher paper of the little bed (which, in all actuality, looked like phallic symbols!!!) and then said a nurse was going to wash my ear. But he said it was REALLY bad and if she couldn’t get it unclogged, he would have to refer me to an ENT so I needed to be prepared for that.
The ear washing was BIZARRE and tickled and hurt and felt so weird. It wasn’t working in the beginning, but after about the 5th go-around, she got the biggest ball of wax out, and it was the most DISGUSTING thing ever, and I felt so embarrassed, but I was so relieved and I could hear everything again INSTANTLY, and I was so so so happy that I asked the nurse to marry me.
This wax-clog-scenario has NEVER happened to me before.
Ever.
??????
Oh my word!!!!
LOOK AT THE GANG!
I put this picture on my Instagram and it was hilarious how many comments and likes it received. I think we are all Mo Willems-obsessed. I love Knuffle Bunny, Piggie and Gerald, the Duckling, and, of course, the Pigeon!
I didn’t need to buy any of the books at Kohl’s because I own all of them already, obviously.
But to have the matching animals makes this girl ONE HAPPY CAMPER, let me tell you.
They are $5 each and the money goes to charity. I’ve heard some Kohls don’t have them yet, some Kohls aren’t carrying the Duckling, some Kohls have run out of them, you can order them online, there are no more in stock online, and countless other tales.
All I know is that my Kohls had them, and I bought them immediately, and I’m sorry if you don’t have them, can’t get them, or only have four out of the five.
I love them with all of my heart.
🙂
I also put this picture on Instagram and got a ton of comments and likes.
This is my new ELA curriculum, Benchmark Advance. We have used Houghton Mifflin for the last 15 years (although I supplemented a LOT of it) so new curriculum is kind of exciting.
But all of those boxes are MINE. Every single one.
And I was told more is coming.
WHAAAAAAAATTTTT?
Kerry and the kids are coming into town on Monday for two weeks (!!!) so I felt the need to go to school to get my room situated so I could enjoy my time with them and not think about school. When they leave, I have 9 days until I have to report back so I felt a little bit of pressure. Oh, and I’m a nerd, and I like to go to school. One of our new hires saw me there on Thursday and Friday and said you’re always here! and I said well, just yesterday and today and that’s all!
Shoulder shrug. I don’t know. Is it a crime? Am I dumb?
Don’t answer that.
Well. I got them all unpacked. And once I threw away all the “fancy” boxes that all the stuff came in, it condensed down really nicely. And I have a plan, but I ran out of time so I’ll get back to you on how I’m organizing all of this stuff. We EACH got level readers for guided reading.
EACH OF US.
Plus Reader’s Theater (too bad they didn’t buy mine — HA!).
Plus TEs and student workbooks and students textbooks (which are actually floppy and can be written in and are consumable) etc etc etc.
It is overwhelming.
I’ve heard good stuff, bad stuff, and everything in between.
I’m going to have an open mind and go from there.
In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy my Saturday by NOT going to school (it’s closed and I can’t) and maybe perusing baskets and shelves online.
Because why not?!
🙂
My district also adopted Benchmark Universe. My first grade team didn’t care for it, we ended up supplementing big time, which Deanna Jumps “Growing Readers” units. Much more accessible to our students.
and your stuff of course too! We have all your listen and learn units. 🙂
Aw, thanks!!!!
Yup, to the ball of wax thing. I had that too. And yup to boxes of ELA, we switched to Wonders…don’t even want to unpack…but will…sigh.
Oh well yay on both counts!! 🙂 You get where I’m coming from! 🙂
So cool!
I am sooo jealous that you have a system that purchases a curriculum! Ours just puts together their own (??) and there are significant changes each year. UGH. I wish they would just tell us to teach the standards, so I could do my TPT/Pinterest thing. But since they don’t, I envy you!
I totally understand! It’s a blessing and a curse!
The wax thing happened to me two summers ago!! It was on top of strep, and felt SO bad, and I felt mortified because I like to think I have good hygiene, but the nurse told me it’s normal. Still. The feeling when it all came out…was life changing! LOL
Oh I’m so glad you get it! 🙂
Is it weird that I’m wondering what the big ball of wax looked like??!???
Haha!!! It was GROSS!!
I know! I was hoping there would be a picture! Stuff like that fascinates me! 🙂
Jen King…I thought the same thing!! ?
Jen, I was thinking the same thing! ?
Your readers theatre are a million times better than benchmarks. I only do yours because : 1. Partners get more reading time than groups. 2. Yours are funny. 3. Milo & Murphie.
AWWWWW!! You just made my whole day! THANK YOU!!
Count your blessings you have your books!!! We are switching in our district also. We won’t have our books until the end of summer, then 3 days of PD before Labor Day, and we start school the day after Labor Day!!! Totally goes against my grain! I like to be prepared. Reading your posts keeps me grounded!!!
Oh wow — that’s crazy! Hang in there!!!
After you get going with your new ELA curriculum, please report back on that. I would love to know how you like it and what works. I think we will be getting new ELA curriculum (undecided which one) in a year or two so any feedback would be great!
You know I will! 🙂
yes please!! We would love to know how you incorporate it and make it work for littles.
Is it weird that I always get excited for new curriculum? I remember using H-M for ages so it’s kind of cool to see that you will be starting the year fresh!
Hope you enjoy your summer!
It’s not weird! I get excited too! I’m a nerd!! Ha! 🙂
I love reading your blog. I always feel like it’s so nice that there are fantastic teachers all over our country – dedicated, caring, and amazing (no matter what some of our government reps would have the world think). You represent the best…and I love your humor! It helps me keep a lighter perspective, especially on days when just everything goes wrong!
I completely understand the new ELA curriculum issue. I teach 3 grade levels, so imagine getting all that stuff, but for 3 grades!!!! It took a long while to get it all sorted out and discover what was good and what wasn’t. And now, about 4 years in, I don’t use much of it at all, but it still takes up space in my room. ?
Thank you so much! 🙂 THREE GRADE LEVELS!? Wow. You are an angel!
“Ball of Wax” sounds like the name of a new music group… Glad to hear it wasn’t a real bug. I am an SLP and once, when I was working at a hospital with an ET, a lady came in with “hearing problems” and a stuffy ear. Well we had a video-otoscope and low and behold there was a little winged bug some sort that had crawled in her ear in her sleep and got stuck on…. you guessed it… a ball of wax! I would not have believed it if I had not seen it on the big ol’ video monitor…which made it look like some creature from a horror movie….instead of the tiny little thing it was. Your tale made me laugh, especially the drawings on the paper by the doctor.
Thanks also for your post on the little “friends” you’ve added to your library. I immediately went on-line to Kohl’s and have ordered all of them! Plus I am picking them up at my local store so no shipping charges! Yea! I also purchased a couple of the books I didn’t have. As an SLP, at a preschool campus, we are looking at ways to incorporate more literacy into our therapy. I love having the book an plush for “re-telling” the story.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your summer. I go back in 3 weeks (yikes) and school starts on August 16th. (Insert pic of a tearful face with a large glass of wine). I love reading your Five for Fraturday and all of your school based and non-school based adventures.
Odie
An SLP from Texas
OH MY WORD! That would have been my worst nightmare!! So scary!! I’m so happy you got the Mo Willems gang. Woohoo! Love the idea to use them for retelling. Perfect!! We go back August 4 and our kids come August 9. I’ll join you in that glass of wine! 🙂
So, the ear thing happened to me in May! … and let me just say, I think you are brave and wonderful for writing about it because I was so embarrassed and wouldn’t tell ANYONE… I just lived in shame… like I was the only person who ever had wax in my ear. Then, I kept thinking about it… it MUST happen to everyone… like, you can’t just live your whole life without ever getting it out right? I think you and I are around the same age… is this just when it happens? Like when cars need the tires rotated? If so, it would have been nice for someone to mention it… it would have been less mortifying…
Anyway, I’m so glad you can hear again and that you are braver than I am 🙂 AND that you got the whole Mo collection!! I was only able to get a Gerald and Piggy… which was disappointing… but those were DEFINITELY the two I would have been able to stop obsessing about… so I’m trying to be a “glass is half full” happy with my elephant & piggy kind of person 🙂
Hi Marcie,
I initially tired ordering the Mo collection on line and was only able to find the Pigeon and Gerald. So I clicked “find in my store” and I was able to get them all. I have 2 stores (in opposite directions) but the same distance from where I lived. I first had the site search one store and when it didn’t have them all. When I had it check the second store, it noted they were all there. So I ordered them on line and picked them up at my local store. I don’t know if you have the same options, but if so, you may want to try it. (Oh, and it was free shipping!) Good luck.
Odie
An SLP from Texas
Oh my gosh! I had the same ear experience and I thought I was going to lose.my.mind. It seemed like such a small thing (especially to the hubs), but it drove me crazy! I could not hear people talking and felt so off kilter. In desperation I headed to the doctor and Bam! It was out! So embarrassed.
So glad the doc was able to take care of your ear. As I was reading I thought, based on your lead in, oh my gosh…DID a bug get stuck in there? Poor thing! (you, not the bug) Yeah, I was a big q-tipper. When I had my ears examined once, they said they were “too clean”. Hmm okay. But now I understand exactly what they meant. I’m sure you got a lecture and finger-wagging from the doctor about not using a q-tip in there.
We adopted Benchmark as well. I went to a “training” at the beginning of June (one day PD, not a training). Seems a little overwhelming as it always is. We had Treasures for a LONG time (not a fan) so this is a, I think, nice change. I’m open-minded. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing how you’ve organized it since I teach 1st also. I haven’t been to my site yet so I’ve no clue if the goods are there.
Try to stay cool!
We adopted Benchmark last year and I unboxed things as I got to the next unit. I would love to see how you condensed ALL.THE.STUFF. I also look forward to hearing your thoughts on it and how you implement it. We got it in parts since the company wasn’t prepared for how many districts would adopt it. Hopefully this year will have a smoother start.
I will be back in the classroom in a couple of weeks and hopefully can start sharing how I did it!
My district adopted Benchmark Advance, too. I teach first grade as well so I’ll be interested to see how you store/arrange it all. I’m concerned I won’t have enough space :/
I plan on being back in the classroom in a couple of weeks so I’ll share more then!