Tons of stuff going on here!

Can I tell you?? I have FIVE more days (and three of the them are early release days) to get finished with EVERYTHING I have to get finished before going on maternity leave!! My list is this big ------------------------------------------------------------- and I only have this much -------------- time...I just did the report cards (that are going out in January), and I have finished all the math and FAIR testing, I need to do Running Records and PMPs (which are both pretty low on my list actually), I need to do my self-evaluation of our PGP, and let's not forget plan for the 6 weeks I'll be out - oh wait - let's do all this during the BUSIEST time of the school year! HA!! If I was paper-pencil kind of teacher, I don't think I'd be so stressed out....but alas, I can't do it! lol (can I just add that this is all in addition to getting the house ready for the baby coming??? Thank goodness it's another girl, so we're pretty much set, but not quite to my OCD standards! lol)

WHEW!There is SOOOOO much going on in my life right now - which way am I going??? Ha!! Well, I'll tell ya which I went today.... So today was our Holiday party at work, and it was great how everyone participated!!! Too bad for me, I couldn't stay but like 15 minutes because I had to make to the bank (we're FINALLY closing on my old house that has had a contract on it since MAY!) before I headed to my Dr.'s appt....only when I got there I was welcomed with "Hi Mrs. Ross....sorry, but we're going to have to reschedule. He's at the hospital delivering a baby." UGH! That was like a 25 minute drive...ahhhhh!!!! I need a drink!! But wait, since I can't, guess I'll settle for this....
 yep...so which way am I going??

Well, of going <----------- I went -------->  just so I could head to Ben & Jerry's...but ahhh!!! Construction zone!! Can I tell you how fast I downed my milkshake!??! hahaha!

Ok, now on to school business...sorry, I just had to blow off some steam! :) Thanks for letting me.

So....every week, we do a Poem of the Week. Each day we do something with the poem; highlight skills, practice fluency, look for rhyming words, etc.  Sometimes the poems come from this book -

 and they match the phonics skills for the week. Or I have a STASH of poems that I've used for forever that I can adapt to our theme or grammar skill. And if your a 2nd grade teacher in Florida using the Treasures Series, OMGosh!! The best packet ever which is aligned with all the stories....I love it! It comes from Debi at Just 4 Teachers: Sharing Across Boarders...check her out! Make sure you follow her because she shows us how she has her students illustrate the poems - it is super cool!

She has an ENTIRE poetry packet that you can use. Anyway, for this week, I wanted a Christmas themed one, but one that really works for us in Florida...so in her Winter poetry packet, I found this...

 PERFECT for us...except, my kids have NEVER heard of this song...what!?!? And come to find out, a lot of adults that I talked to today hadn't even heard it - WHAT?!?! That is just so weird to me to have lived in Florida your whole life and NOT have been exposed to this song..lol. So I had to go on to You Tube and find the song for them. I LOVE this song - I had to post it, just so you could feel like you were in the tropics or in Florida - today was beautiful - sunny and low 70s! But I will say that I do get jealous of all y'all that have snow to play in.

Ok, another item on the agenda tonight...is the Liebster Award!



I started my Thank you a few posts ago, but had to cut it short...and since then I have been awarded this award by some other FABulous new blogs out there!!
Thank you to these fabulous girls!

The goal of the award is to spotlight up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers. The rules are: 

1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
2. Thank the giver and link back to them.
3. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
4. Hope that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers!! 


These ladies are fabulous blogs - go check them out! And I have a few others that I'd like to show case for you - they've already been awarded the Liebster, but I still think you need to go see them!

                      Holly over at Crisscross Applesauce (she doesn't have a button yet, but click on         her blog name, and you can go see her fabulous blog!)

 and

FINALLY, last on the agenda - I am a NEW contributor on Me and My Gang!!!

I am SUPER DUPER excited!!! You can check out my first blog post {HERE}!! I can't wait to start contributing!!

Well, that's it for tonight - I know...it was a lot. Thanks for hanging in there with me!
Happy Teaching!