…and Now for Some Fine Tuning and Tweaking…
In photos my blue bulletin boards really do dominate, don’t they? Take a closer look though and you might be able to see signs of fine tuning in this corner, that corner, and some tweaking of the furniture arrangement (and oh look! The chairs have found their appropriate places too!):
To the rear, our reading “circle,” literacy/story time/calendar area (I know, I still need a chair):
Students’ desks and areas for computers, legos, and all of our math manipulatives (on shelves):
Dramatic Play to the left, puppets in the apple baskets, and painting/clay to the right (yes, I put up Kadinsky, Picasso, and Van Gogh prints):
The view from the rear classroom doors, next to the bathroom area:
I’m still sorting materials and supplies on the art cart:
Hmm, it looks like our kitchen (dramatic play) is in need of repair:
Here’s a closer look at our storytime corner. In addition to our books and listening center, I place three tubs of math manipulatives, and three tubs of literacy/language games in this area so my students can have some additional practice with problem solving, patterning, and phonics whenever we get a free moment. I also use this area to introduce and explain worksheets or model small paper activities that tie into stories we’ve just read before sending students to work at their tables. Having their attention away from the noise of the hallway is a *good thing!*
And finally, a view from the storytime corner looking toward the front of the room. I have our wooden blocks and other large building manipulatives housed in the bookcase that is almost center photograph- the floor area is open enough that students can spread out, building cities, kingdoms, neighborhoods, and on carpet which will hopefully cushion/soften the noise created by the solid wooden blocks!
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I’m going to try to finish up my classroom arrangements and decor this week. I’ll make center tags, hang some more decor from the ceiling over the students’ desks (it’s a wonderful place for patterns and art display), get the table baskets filled with crayons, pencils, glue and scissors, and start putting together journals. I’ll get the curriculum kits reassembled, take a look at the kindergarten standards for Oz, and figure out a template for my lesson plans. Next week all teachers will meet for professional development at our school and throughout other district locations- I’ll keep you posted!
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~ Head over to The Chancellor’s New Clothes for this week’s Carnival of Education (you might find someone familiar linked there!)…
~ No, I haven’t forgotten that you enjoy trying out new recipes as much as I do! Once I see some pretty blueberries in the grocery store, I’m going to try Smitten Kitchen’s Blueberry Crumb Bars and Blueberry Pancakes… I must have BLUE on the brain this week!
~ Ever cooked Eggs in a Basket? I’ve wanted to ever since Moonstruck came out (Olympia Dukakis makes it for breakfast in one scene). Thanks to The Pioneer Woman Cooks for sharing the method!
~Green Maintenance Monday~
We’ve stalled a bit indoors as I won’t be able to set up the toddler’s playroom or my craft area until my kindergarten materials, books, and decor are delivered to my new classroom later this week. Dear Husband checked the trees in our yard today instead, looking for branches that needed to be trimmed while the kids and I checked on the seeds that we planted for “filler-type” greenery and flowers for the remaining summer months.
The nasturtiums and pumpkins have sprouted, though I’m not sure if we’ll actually get any pumpkins grown in time for Halloween with such a late planting. The kids were inspired by the pumpkin photos at Chance Family Happenings:
Dear Husband trimmed back some branches that were obscuring traffic/street signs:
…and he discovered a few branches that the electric company will have to come out to cut and remove (see where the power line is?):
Later this afternoon I’ll re-pot some of my indoor plants into larger containers, anticipating what new greenery I can find to put into the newly emptied pots!
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Thanks for being green, Kermit:
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~SmittenKitchen shares a recipe for Sauteed Radishes (yes, radishes!), Sugar Snap Peas and Dill
~Paper-and-String is working on Christmas in July (check out her trees, reindeer, and puddings)
~Doug has “heavier” reading on his summer book list than I do, but I’m intrigued after reading his thoughts on Naomi Klein’s Shock Doctrine. NCLB is an issue that has ties that stretch much further than our classrooms, school district offices, states, even country.
~Dear Daughter enjoyed her birthday, but wanted a plain ol’ vanilla cake (with purple streaks swirled in) with strawberry icing. Guess I’ll have to wait for another celebration to try The Pioneer-Woman-Cooks’ Yogurt and Orange Marmalade Cake.
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Happy Monday!
Simple, Yummy, Summer
Though I’m a chocoholic, here’s what I’ve been craving and enjoying this summer:
Yep, apples, celery, raisins, and walnuts.
My family doesn’t care for this salad (more for me!), so I only make enough for one:
1 apple
2 or 3 stalks of celery
1/4 cup of raisins
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts
1 tsp. of mayo, just enough to coat the apples so they don’t brown too quickly
Chop up the apple and celery stalks, toss in the raisins and walnuts, and coat with the mayo. It’s even better if the apple and celery have chilled in the fridge overnight- cool, crispy, fruity and green at the same time. I suggest you make this the same day you plan on eating it as the apples still brown rather quickly, and if the salad is left overnight in the fridge, the walnuts and raisins get soggy.
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Dear Daughter is expressing interest in learning about “meal preparation.” In tiny, baby increments. She’s good at mac and cheese, makes a terrific toasted ham/cheese/potato chip sandwich, and has learned how to make chicken flavored ramen noodles. I know, I know, basic stuff. Today she had some excess broth left over from the noodles as Toddler only wants “oodles” when it comes to ramen, no “juice.” For a reason that still escapes me, she put the left over broth into a glass, intending to let it cool off completely before pouring it into a sippy cup for the toddler, to see if he likes the taste of it. I asked her how she’d explain the “juice” to him.
She said she’ll tell him it’s chicken juice. From freshly squeezed chickens.
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*Michelle at Scribbit shares her Aunt Nancy’s recipe for Asian Chicken Salad (hey, more ramen!)
*If fruit smoothies are more your style, The Pioneer Woman Cooks a Blueberry Yogurt Smoothie (the color alone will amaze you!)…
*Amy at AngryChicken is making me wonder just where, oh where in my yard I can plant rhubarb, so I can make Rhubarb Hand Pie.
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Finding so many great blogs since my spring blogroll update means I’ll have to try to find time to update my links before school starts. I’ll keep you posted!
Show and Share Thursday: Spangles, Dangles and Jangles
When I discovered Kirk’s Folly jewelry and accessories on QVC years ago, I was hooked! Barrettes, necklaces, bracelets, brooches and watches all made their way to my jewelry box. Since then, I’ve purposely re-arranged my sparkly stuff each time we’ve moved to see if I can accommodate any new pieces when they catch my eye.
Here are some of my favorite “teacher” pieces. I wear them all regularly during the appropriate holiday season, and the teacher watch at all parent teacher conferences. For Halloween and Thanksgiving, it’s all about the brooches:
At Christmas and in winter, my jackets and sweaters sparkle with a patriotic snowman and a cluster of snowflakes:
Here’s an easy way to wear green in March:
My teacher watch, patriotic watch and wedding anniversary bracelet:
…and the last piece I bought before leaving Kansas:
Students always love to examine the jewelry I wear: it sparkles, it moves, and some of it even makes the best little tink-tink-tink noises!
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Just in time for Mother’s Day:
*Seasonal Delights shares a tutorial for making Gift Flowerpots
*CakeSpy has cakey/sweet/dessert treats for the Overbearing Mom!
*Smitten Kitchen shares Martha’s Macaroni and Cheese recipe…
Show and Share Thursday: Thimbles
My mother started a thimble collection for me *years* ago, which thankfully several friends have continued to add to:
Pewter thimbles, porcelain thimbles, metal thimbles, figurine-style thimbles, Royal Family thimbles… though in honor of May Day, I’ll show you closeups of the floral thimbles:
A daffodil and a shamrock:
A red rose with golden leaves:
California sunflowers:
A lotus:
A vining flower on black lacquer:
Pink porcelain rosettes on glass:
A bunny hiding amongst leaves and flowers:
Old Country Roses:
Blue….what are they?
And my favorite, pink roses:
Do you know which thimble I’d find hilarious to add to my collection?
Yep, the Monopoly Thimble!
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Have you ever played the Thimble Game?
One person hides the thimble somewhere in a room. Children/family members are then allowed into the room to hunt for the thimble one by one. Once each child has found it, he/she leaves it and sits down in the middle of the room. After all the children have found it, the first one to find it gets to hide it the next round. Of course the giggles, twitters, inhales of breath, etc., make it easier for younger children to play as they take their cues from the other players who are trying their hardest to not give the location away!
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~Inspired Ideas, volume1, number 3 has arrived!
~Ez at Creature Comforts offers a “D.I.Y. Paper Wrapped Soaps” tutorial in time for Mother’s Day and Teacher Appreciation Week…
~Skip to My Lou offers some of the cutest Teacher Appreciation gift/craft ideas I’ve seen in a looooooonnnnnnnnggggggggg time!
~Laura Rebecca’s Kitchen is baking again, this time it’s Peanut Butter Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Cookies…num!
~Kelly at PhotoJojo has found a web site that will “oldify” photos you choose to upload…
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And my newest blog discovery?
(go, go, go, you know you want to!)
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Don’t forget to leave a comment here for my blue wreath giveaway!
Tick Tock *Click* It’s…
* Cream Puffs in Venice posts a recipe for Baked Tortiglioni with Cream and Pancetta
* Bugs Bunny should hop over for Carrot Souffle in Laura Rebecca’s Kitchen
* Maggie Crawford of Tangerine Studio illustrates puppy love like no other (kitty love too, but the dogs are my favorite!). Here’s her blog…
* Tammy describes how to make “wonky fabric…”
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Wish me luck, I have a phone interview Monday afternoon for a teaching position!
Wonderful Stuff Wednesday
Click away my dears, click away:
The 167th Carnival of Education is up and running at The CEA Blog (Columbus Education Association), and heh heh, they saved the best for last (KIDDING!), “Flipping a card…it’s on this blogger’s pet peeve list.” Yep, that would be my Popsicle Stick post! I’m looking forward to reading the other entries this week!
Num. Num. Oh my goodness…. *****NUM*****
- Copycat Macaroni Grill’s Reeses Peanut Butter Cake, thanks to The Secret Recipe Blog
- Cream Puffs in Venice makes us an offer (a recipe) we can’t refuse: Cannoli Cake
- Scribbit reminded me of a cake an old friend used to make for me when I was down in the dumps, “Dump Cake“
- Cakespy took inspiration from dessert-favorite Carrot Cake and created broccoli, sugar snap pea, radish, parsnip, and even brussel sprout cupcakes!
Crafting and Creativity
- I’m inspired to take a Trip Around the World while crafting in my own home, thanks to Lisa at Celebrate Creativity In All Its Forms, and all I need is fabric, thread, a sewing machine, and a rotary cutter!
- Inspired Ideas, volume 1, number 2 offers a tutorial on how to make Friendship Pins
- CasaSugar shows us how to make a self watering recycled vase (these would be terrific for classrooms as well!)
- Vicki at This Art That Makes Me Happy teaches us how to make a paper ruffle
Several!
- Laurie makes the old new again (with the help of hand-crafted fine-feathered-friends) at Laurie’s Charming Designs
- Visual Voice offers terrific photos documenting the fine art of bell pulling…
- Have you checked out Blogtations yet? Quotes from blogs, and today my favorite is this: “Everyone knows that, if you want to give a child an exciting horticultural experience, have them plant a bean seed—because they sprout in a week and are a hardy plant. Not here. My garden is the kiss of death to a seed which millions of kindergartners have successfully sprouted before they ever learned how to read.” Whine Country
Show and Share Thursday: Vera Bradley…an Addiction
Hello, my name is Michaele, and I’m an addict. A Vera Bradley Addict.
What’s surprising is that I wasn’t aware of the extent of my addiction until today, as I went through the hutch in our dining room to find Easter-ish or Spring-ish place mats or tablecloths for this weekend.
I kept pulling out set after set of VB place mats and realized that there were still *more* sets packed away with the Christmas decor! In fact, the photos I’m sharing today don’t include my VB tablecloths, napkins, table runners, purses/handbags, or clothing items… and the sets shown above aren’t ALL, since I’m using several sets in our barrister bookcases and throughout the living room and kitchen for spring accents:
I’m guessing my love of Vera Bradley table decor is linked to my love for quilts- each of these place mats are quilted with a coordinating fabric on the back. I’m always on the look-out for retired patterns and colors on Ebay, Petit Point, Black Walnut, and Maison Blue especially:
What’s not to love? They’re machine washable, patterned enough to hide a small stain here or there, and instantly dress up a table or other surface beautifully. With a toddler and busy family, EASE and FUNCTIONALITY are essentials in our home, but in case you were wondering, no, I simply cannot resist PRETTINESS.
No, no, I’m NOT a Vera Bradley salesperson or store representative- though I wish I were if it would get me a discount on the new line of RUGS available online! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!
If you’d like something a bit more romantic, “foofy” even for table decor, try April Cornell, another favorite of mine!
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Easter/Spring Projects:
~Kelli at There’s No Place Like Home has made some beautiful egg-shaped pocket cards and walks you through, step by step…
~ Lisa at Celebrate Creativity in All its Forms shows us how to decorate a new vase, just in time for those spring bouquets, though I think I’ll use her techniques and advice on a few storage containers I’ve been saving up lately for my desk…
~ Terry at Bent Objects expresses some Easter humor with a chocolate bunny, some raisins and Raisinets, a nice change from the deluge of Peep dioramas that many others have produced this year…
~ Laura Rebecca’s Kitchen tells us how to make perfect hard boiled eggs (still on my to-do list for today!)
~ Angry Chicken shares a recipe for birds’ nests (edible!) that kindergarten teachers, their students and families are sure to enjoy!
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Recent Blog Discoveries:
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I forgot to mention that while I was playing with Scrabble tiles and tongue-twisters the other day, I also made a Scrabble rack to go with my Easter decor in the epergne:
Happy Spring!
Show and Share Thursday: Love is in the Air
Actually, it’s spread all over my table for the time being!
My sister’s-in-law birthday is coming up, as is my father’s-in-law later in the month, so I’ve been making birthday cards this week. Darling daughter has decided against store-bought valentines this year for her friends (family still gets a visit from Hallmark however), hinting last night that “Uh Mom, now I have twenty-nine girls on my card list, do you have any ideas about cards for them?” Translation? “Mom, make some cards for me!”
They’re in process right now, still needing the text for the fronts, insides…and her signature of course! She’s asked that the pecan/Rolo/pretzel nummies accompany the traditional candy message hearts that she’ll give in goody bags this year, so I’ll be making multiple batches this weekend (any earlier, and they’d all be not so much “eaten” as INHALED by us!).
The cards were actually pretty simple, using what I already at home: decorative papers, plain cards from the clearance shelves at Joann’s (did I say “plain?” There are some glittered cards too!), stickers, photo corners, round and heart shaped brads.
The birthday cards are the regular size, while the valentines are the same cards merely cut in half (teen girls like “cute” sized cards, right?). Once I find just the right font and some valentiney phrases, I’ll print them out and add them.
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Now while I personally LOVE these (you’re learning that my sense of humor occasionally *twists* a bit, aren’t you?), I won’t include them on any of the valentines I’ve made this week:
“I love you like zombies love brains!”
“Roses are pink, your feet really stink!” (It’s a book I read to students each February)
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Here’s what I’ve flagged this week:
What is it with me and chairs?!?!? Decor8 found something that appeals to the secret gypsy within me…okay, lots of things!
Several friends have recently had (or are soon-expecting) babies! Hostess with the Mostess reviewed How Fast They Grow’s digital photo albums.
I’m on a brownie kick, and thankfully this recipe from Homespun Living does NOT include bacon!
Decor, Broccoli, NCLB Reality, Wish List
Though there are a ton of chores on my to-do list today, I had to take a break after the sun made an appearance, filtering some much-appreciated light onto the latest decor changes:
Have I ever told you I can’t stand broccoli? *Yuck* to the nth degree, let me tell you. Until, that is…this recipe:
1 bunch of broccoli, raw (I just use the floret/crowns)
1/4 cup onion, sliced/diced
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon
1 cup mayo (but you could easily use less)
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 cup sugar (or 1/8 cup Splenda, though it says it can be measured the same for the required sugar, I don’t care for the aftertaste so I cut it back a bit)
Mix all ingredients well, chill, then munch down to your heart’s content. My husband and I never have left overs when I make this salad. Ever. Quite a testament, coming from broccoli-avoiders!
The only thing lately that has made me shudder as much as most other broccoli dishes do would be the latest, thankfully, last, State of the Union Address made by President Bush. Following Thumper’s mother’s advice (”If you can’t say something nice… don’t say nothing at all.”), I’ll just provide some links to some great blogs that are pretty closely aligned to how I’m feeling:
Schools Matter: School Privatization Plan
Schools Matter: Art? Music? Cultures? NCLB?
The Elementary Educator: The Importance of Recess
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…and on a lighter note, my latest wished-for-items from MacKenzie-Childs:
And pillows:
If I could just get my magic wand to work…
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