Hello, hello, hello!!! I know! I know!!
TRUST ME.
I know I didn’t blog last weekend.
And I apologize.
But . . .
I had a Girls Weekend!
Christina (Mrs. Winter’s Bliss) flew out to California to see me! She flew into LAX, rented a car, and got to my school before noon. My school used to be HER school because we used to teach together. We actually “opened” a brand new school together (if you ever get the chance to open a brand new school, I highly recommend it) and had the best time!
Christina just jumped right in with my class because we are basically the same person and she knows how I run things. Mainly because I run things her way! HA! My kids LOVED her.
After school, we hit the grocery store for some yummy snacks and beverages – 😉 – and then we headed to Lauren’s house (A Teachable Teacher) for a slumber party! We ordered pizza and talked late into the night. And by late into the night, I mean 11 or so.
On Saturday, we drank lots of yummy coffee, ate delicious donuts, worked a little, talked A LOT, laughed a lot, and the next thing we knew it was 4:30pm. NO JOKE. We went out to dinner which included pretzels with cheese, bread with dipping sauce, and dessert, and then we had ANOTHER slumber party.
Sunday, we ate a big breakfast of protein pancakes (who knew I would like those?) and sat outside for a bit, and ate more snacks, and worked a little more, and then Christina and I met up with Steve for lunch.
Christina had to leave at about 6pm that night to head back to the airport. By the way, she used to live in Redondo Beach, and feels comfortable with LAX, whereas I do not. I am not comfortable, I said.
LAX and me? NO.
I was so proud of her! I felt like she was so brave to rent a car and drive out here to see me. I usually let Steve handle all that. I promptly told her that when I visit her in North Carolina, I’ll probably need her to pick me up and wait for me in the baggage claim, otherwise I might spend the rest of the weekend driving around in circles near the airport in my rental car. And that’s only if I actually find the rental car place.
We had a GREAT weekend, and it went by WAY too fast, as all weekends do, but especially as all GIRLS weekends do. 🙂
We are learning to tell time!
Mostly what I’m learning is that we are running out of TIME for the rest of the math topics!! YIKES!
Any who . . .
My kids have caught on super fast and every single student understands telling time to the hour and half hour. Every single one!
YES!
We played a game the other day and I thought to myself surely everyone plays this and then I wondered but what if someone hasn’t heard of this game? so here we are.
It’s called WHAT TIME IS IT, MR. FOX? My kids were bothered that it wasn’t Mrs. Fox, but I told them I was fine. Mr. Mrs. Dr. Diva whatever.
Here’s how to play!
Take your kids outside, preferably on grass. We have a grassy “quad” right outside our building so we went there. Also, take your big Judy Clock. Get your kids in one, big, long row (think Red Rover). Like this – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Practice taking steps together so that no one is in front of or behind anyone else. Move together as a class. One, two, three, one two, three, etc. 🙂 Also practice taking a HALF step. Like a BABY step.
Just have a big ole ball out there, basically in a jazz line, walking to and fro. Don’t be surprised if some kids actually do a high-kick, as if they are actually IN THE ROCKETTES.
Once the kids understand how to move together AS ONE UNIT, you’re ready to play!
You go to the other side, across from your kids. Get far away from them. Don’t forget your big Judy Clock!
The kids chant What time is it, Mr. Fox? and you use your Judy Clock to create a time, such as 2:00. Turn it around and show the kids.
They’ll say 2:00!!! And then take two steps forward. AS A UNIT.
Then they’ll repeat What time is it, Mr. Fox? And you can keep the time on the clock or choose a different time. Let’s say you choose 4:30.
They’ll say 4:30!!! And step forward four and a half steps.
And so on!
As the kids get closer and closer, I usually back away. Ha! But whenever you want, whether they are close or far away, instead of showing a time when they ask what time is it, Mr. Fox, you yell LUNCH TIME! When you yell that, they can run full force all the way to you.
The real way to play the game is to have the kids tag you. The first one to tag you gets to hold the Judy Clock and make the times.
But uh . . . no. First off, I have too many kids. Plus germs. Plus, what if they accidentally tackle me and I want to cry? So yeah, no.
Wait. Maybe the real way to play is that when you yell Lunch Time! you start chasing the kids to tag one of them to be it. Hmm. I honestly don’t remember the real way to play because I changed it into a math lesson. And first graders are too fast for me. And I like to be successful in life.
I just told my class to run past me and then run back to the starting point when I say Lunch Time. They had no idea there was any other way to play so they didn’t care.
Fun was had by all.
And no one got tackled.
🙂
It’s Message Center time!!
My kids are flipping out about this center, just like every other class I’ve ever had.
I mean, who wouldn’t flip out about clothespins on a clothesline?
Besides anyone doing laundry, that is?
I updated my Message Center a couple of years ago and now it is the best and easiest center ever in all the land.
You can see more pictures and read all about it HERE.
🙂
PEOPLE.
Go lasso some Yasso! QUICK! Before I buy them all!
I saw these advertised when I was scrolling through Instagram, most likely because I had been talking about desserts or ice cream, and then the powers-that-be that live in my phone started listening in and the next thing you know, desserts and ice cream were being advertised everywhere.
And then I had to have some.
Well.
I am here to tell you that these Greek Yogurt bars are DELICIOUS.
SCRUMPTIOUS.
HEAVENLY.
TO DIE FOR.
They have five grams of protein. I know it’s not a whole lot, but it’s five more grams than the Fun Dip I found in the back of the pantry from Valentine’s Day that I was about to eat in a desperate moment of I need something sweet.
Steve loves these, too, and that is saying something because when it comes to ice cream, he wants the REAL thing, not yogurt.
I am going to try the Cookie Dough flavor next, and then the Mint Chip flavor.
And what that means is that I’m going to have one each of a Salted Caramel, Cookie Dough, and Mint Chip bar in one night so that I can report back to you. And because it’s yogurt. And it’s Greek.
And that’s called Healthy in my book, so the more the merrier is what I always say.
Mother’s Day is DONE!
These frames were made and assembled ON OUR FIELD TRIP!
I KNOW!
We went to a place (if you are in the Inland Empire, I highly recommend it!) called the Sawdust Factory on the recommendation of my teacher twin (a first grade teacher at another school and we are each always getting mixed up for the other) AND IT WAS FANTASTIC!
In the beginning, the kids sat in a warehouse type of place, and Heidi, the owner, talked for about twenty minutes or so. She told the kids all about different trees, wood, types of saws with demonstrations, etc. She was SPOT ON with first graders as far as her vocabulary, language, management signals, etc. My kids were SILENT and IN AWE! They only talked to say things like Ooooooo! or Ahhhhhh! or Cool!!!
Then, we went over to another warehouse and it was basically set up like Build a Bear but with picture frames.
We were told ahead of time that we could make a Mother’s Day gift and to bring 4×6 pictures of the kids. So besides worrying that I would forget to bring them with me, I was all prepared for that.
Then, my kids went through several “stations” to make their frames. They had SO MANY CHOICES! They got to pick from hearts, stars, crowns, and flowers for the top corner. They got to pick from GOBS of paint colors, too. Station Two involved the sponge painting where several adult employees helped them so that it wasn’t a hot mess. There was also glitter at this station! Then they went to the blow drying station! They had to use a hair dryer to dry their frame. I loved that. I thought that was brilliant. I’m telling you, the next time I paint a project in my room, I’m asking every parent to send in a hair dryer and then I’m bring multiple outlet thingamajiggers to get it done. I figure the only risk is blowing a fuse for the entire school and interrupting state testing (which is done all online). Shoulder shrug.
Next, they went to the station where a taped their picture into their frame, and then each student got to pick a button and a bow to add to their frame. THE CHOICES WERE OUT OF CONTROL AND ALL ORGANIZED BY COLOR.
Get out of town. This Heidi lady could be my new BFF. Soul sisters, I tell you.
They also got to choose whether they wanted to write “I love you” or “#1 Mom” (and of course, if someone needed Aunt or Grandma, that was fine, too!). An adult helped with that so spelling was correct and it fit neatly.
The last part was for me.
Because someone behind the scenes hot glued gunned it all together, slid it into a clear plastic gift bag, and then put all of them into a brown paper grocery bag WITH HANDLES that had MY NAME on it.
When I left, they handed me the bag AND MY MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS WERE DONE.
I think I cried a little.
We got back on the bus, went to a nearby park for lunch and play time, and then headed back to school.
Did we book our field trip for next year the very next day?
Why yes. Yes we did.
🙂
In case you’re wondering, the field was $10 per student. At our school, PTA helps with field trips so we only ask for donations. We don’t ask for a specific amount. We just write how much the field trip will cost for our entire class and that if parents would like to donate, it would be appreciated. Some parents give A LOT (and cover the cost of four or more students), some parents give a little, and some parents don’t give at all because of financial hardship or because they’re busy and they forget! Ha! That’s how we do it.
I hope you have an awesome weekend!!
Kristen I am totally jealous of that field trip! Mother’s day gifts handed to you in a bag!! I am also going to get the message center going during our last three weeks. Just printed the cards. This year, I had a group of girls who were skilled beyond their years in covertly passing notes to each other. One of my boys is still leaving notes around the room for the leprechaun. (He’s gone I tell you. Back to Ireland.) They will love this.
Hahaha! The leprechaun is gone!! You cracked me up!!!! 🙂