Favorite Pins Linky

Happy Fifth of July!!!!

Are you as excited as I am?????

Yes, I love the 4th, I'm happy to celebrate our freedom, see friends and family, but honestly, I could do without the fireworks. I have three young boys. My main job is to keep them safe. Fireworks really test my ability to mother properly. Yes, I used mother as a verb. So what?! If you have young children, I bet a lot of you out there agree with me!

Anyway, I'm happy to be  linking up with Cara Carroll for her "Favorite Pins Friday" Linky. How fun! I've been pinning a lot lately, so I've got some stuff to share. First, if you've got some stuff to share, too, join Cara's link by clicking here.

As you may know, I'm moving into a new classroom this summer. As in, brand new. In a brand new, beautiful building. I'm so excited! And I'm thinking all about my decorations and a theme and all that.

The room is great, but it has a blue floor. BLUE. I'm not kidding. Here it is...

So, since I like bright colors, I'm thinking of going with a Rainbow theme. I've found a lot of inspiration on Pinterest, for sure.

My favorite idea is this from the Creative Juice blog...

I have got to put some sort of rainbow like this on my wall. My friend suggested using the "noodles" we use for floaties in the pool which I think is a great idea, I just don't know if I'll be able to find them in the bright colors that I want. Definitely going to look though.

I also love these decorative poms from Ramblings from the Sunshine State!

And I think this would be such a fun idea to do to my teacher desk! 

This idea came from Easy Homestead! Sooo cute!!!

And finally, I really like the glass balls filled with tissue paper from Hostess with the Mostess! Luckily, Hobby Lobby already has their Christmas stuff out, so these shouldn't be too hard to find!

What do you think???? I would love some input! Do you think these ideas are too girly? 

Will first grade boys like it?

I hope you pinned some great ideas this week, too!!!

Bloglovin

I don't really understand...I've apparently been missing out on something great...Google Reader!!!! I always had just checked and read my blogs on blogger.

Was I wrong to do that? I'm so sorry! Well, I have joined Bloglovin so I guess I will try and join the rest of you guys and try and see what I'm missing. Could you explain it to me? Why don't I just read the blogs from blogger??????

Anyway, please follow me on Bloglovin if you aren't already!


Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Thanks!!!!

July Currently

Wow! We just got back from a little weekend trip to Branson. To tell you the truth, it was our first hotel experience with the twins. Yes, I'm exhausted. They still sleep in their cribs and to expect them to sleep in a strange place, in pack and plays, was just too much. The first night they didn't get to sleep until 10 and the next night, at 9. We are used to going to sleep at 7, so this mama was tired. It was good practice to gear us up for a trip to Gulf Shores later this month. I'm hoping it will be a little easier since we're renting a house and they have now had experience in their pack and plays. If I'm crazy, just don't tell me.

I am joining up with Farley for her currently, which I have not done in several months.



To be really honest, I've been struggling with this blog and where I should go with it. I've been reading all different types of blogs lately and it's made me question the purpose of this blog. I've finally decided that this blog will have to just be a little of everything. Sometimes I'll post about my classroom, sometimes what I'm teaching, but often just about my family and being a mommy and wife and everything else in my life. I hope that keeps you guys following and I hope to gain more in the near future, now that I feel like I'm going in a direction. It may be random, but it's still a direction. :)

So, here we go. The Currently....

Listening to the aquarium, the one that had 7 fish in it, that are all now gone. Too many deaths. So sad.

Loving the cooler weather in our area! We have some major heat and humidity in Arkansas and for it to be in the lower 80s at this time of year is CRA-ZY! I love it!!!!

Thinking about saving this image. Some of you know I switched to a Mac and I am still learning my way around. It is very difficult to not have MS Word and PowerPoint. I'm getting there. And for the record, no. I didn't do it correctly the first time. Saving and inserting the image took me a couple of hours. Ho hum...I'm going to write it down this time.

Wanting to download a new book on my iPad. I'm thinking I'll download The Book Whisperer for professional reading and the first in Janet Evanovich's series for pleasure. I don't know much about either one except they came highly recommended.

Needing some new bras. I'm sorry if that's TMI, but I do. I don't know if I'm just hard on bras or they don't make them well anymore. I do wash them in the washer, but I hang them to dry. They still seem to wear out after a couple of months. I need suggestions of some good bras.

And finally, tips for your blog, this has really been my pet peeve lately. There are so many AWESOME teaching blogs out there now and I know it's hard to differentiate between them all. And I know many of us are creating some great products and we do want to know about them, but I really don't want to read a post that is ONLY about your product. I know many people give freebies away with it and also tell you how they've used it, I just don't want to read commercials. Am I alone on this?!?!

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this post and my random blog! There'll be more where that came from!

Grand Opening!

As I told you before, I am MOVING to a brand new school next year! I am so excited, I can hardly wait for to get started on my room!

Today was the Dedication Ceremony for the new school. I was amazed at how many people came. It was humbling! There are some great people who are counting on us to take care of their most precious things next year and it overwhelms me. It's true anywhere you teach, but it comes to surface when there's something new or different going on.

Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure. This school has some great features, like a water fountain that has room to refill a water bottle. Awesome!!!

Front of the School

Commons Area (Blurry, sorry)

Detail of the stair rails. Those are recycled magazine strips. Very "green" building.

My classroom, with a sink AND a bathroom! And cubbies!!!

So, I need some help! I've never had the built in type closet before. How do you organize your stuff? I threw a ton of my old stuff away, but I'm not sure how to organize my stuff. As many ideas you can give me will be appreciated. I think I'm going to go with a rainbow/primary colors kind of theme since my floor is BLUE! Also, I need to buy a carpet. Any advice in that area?!

I'd love to hear from you!

I'm Moving!!!!

This post has been a long time coming, but I can finally say it....

I'm moving!!!!

To a new school, that is. I have been teaching at the same elementary school for the past 16 years. And I think the building had been there for about 200 years before I ever arrived.

Ok. Maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but only a slight one. Everyone was aware that the district decided to expand and they have built a beautiful new school down the road. There was already a lot of talk about who would be going there and such and such. Then, in February, my current principal announced that SHE would be going there! Wait, wha...?!?!?! I was shocked. As you may remember from previous posts, I love my principal. She is not only my boss, but my friend AND she just happens to be awesome at what she does. So, this was not something that I was counting on, but I have been desperate for a change for a couple of years now. So I immediately decided to ask for a transfer to the new school and after a VERY LONG PROCESS (I mean, months, people) I finally found out last week that I will be going with her!

I am so excited for this new opportunity. But of course, it is bittersweet. Over 16 years I've made a lot of great friends, many of whom are staying at my "old" school. It will be very hard to say goodbye to them, but I know we will keep our great friendships.

In the meantime, have you ever opened a new school before?

When I say I've been at my last school for 16 years, I am talking about my ENTIRE TEACHING CAREER!!!! I have had many titles within my building, but I have always been at the same school. And I'm not only moving, but opening a new school! What have I done?! Any advice would be very helpful. I've been reading Debbie Diller's Spaces and Places which I highly recommend and there is a section in there on moving. I've splurged on real boxes from Home Depot (not just assorted acquired ones) and I've been trying to catalog my personal books as I go. (Do you have the Book Crawler app? I'm going to have to post about it at another time. It's awesome!!!)

What else should I be doing?????

After our work day today, we are going to tour the new building!!! Not that I'm excited, but I have been up since 3:30 thinking about it! I will try to post some pics if I can. If it's not illegal. I'm kidding. Sort of...

Teacher Talk Tuesday

I have been trying to figure out this instagram thing. I know how to follow people and look at their pics, but I was struggling to figure out how to post my own pics.

Apparently, a colored button, that is the only colored button, is not enough for me. Maybe if it were flashing and saying, "Tap Here! Tap Here!" I would've found the button.

Good news. I found it. So I can join this link that is all over blog land! Yay!!!

You can follow me on Instagram at oneberryblog. Makes sense!

If you need some Instagram help, you can ask me. I might be able to help.

Here's my page thingey. Complicated, I know. Aren't you confident I could help you?!?!

FOLLOW ME! FOLLOW ME! FOLLOW ME!

I wish it was flashing.

You need a little love???

So, we're in the middle of test prep week. Can we say booooorrrrrrrr-ing!!!!!

I'll be happy if we can get through the week and none of my kids have followed in Calvin's footsteps...

I can't blame them, though. There has got to be a better way to assess 7 year olds.

But there was a bright spot in my day.

In the middle of all the- 

Make sure you fill in the bubble completely!  

What answer would make the most sense? 

NO! Don't Mark on the Paper!!!!!

One of my sweet little guys made me something.  This is where the love comes in.

He put it on my table and said, "I love you Mrs. B."

This was the something he put on my table.

Awwwww.......ummmm....is it just me or does it look like.....

It didn't help that when he put it on my table he put it on upside down.

That's just so sweet.

You know it's a tree, right?! 

Of course it is.

What did you think it was?!

Thank you Hobby Lobby

As you may know, we were on Spring Break last week. And I know many of you are on Spring Break this week. 

Are you in need of something to do with your own kids?  

Unfortunately for us,  the weather which was awesome last weekend, decided not to cooperate. 

The first few days weren't bad, but since Tuesday afternoon, the highs haven't been over 45.

That being said, this mama needed some help keeping the kids entertained. There are lots of choices for my 6 year old, several for my 2 year olds, but not too many for BOTH ages.

We went to Hobby Lobby hoping for inspiration and as usual, it didn't disappoint.

I was able to pick up some Spongebob workbooks and coloring sheets for my older son. And I found these for my 2 year olds.

Oh my goodness! I can't tell you how wonderful these things are!!!! 

Honestly, the little pen that it comes with is not the greatest, but when I just gave the twins a little paint brush and a cup of water, they had so much fun!!!! 

They loved it because the picture appears as the water "erases" the white cover/film on the picture. They felt like they were really painting the pictures. And the best part?!?!

You can stand the book up on its side to dry and after about 10 minutes, they can paint the picture all over again. 

What?!?!

It's the best!!!

I've found the Sesame Street book, but there's also Disney Fairies, Spongebob, Dora, Mickey Mouse. Many styles to choose from, if Elmo isn't your child's thing.

I highly recommend these for any of you moms who need something to do with your toddlers.

Two thumbs up from me!!!

Now run right out to Hobby Lobby and pick one up!!!

5 for Friday (Spring Break Edition)

Here it is...the end of my spring break week. :( So sad...but we've had so much fun. I'll tell you a little about it and at the same time, link up with Kacey at Doodlebugs Teaching for 5 for Friday!

Okay 5 Random things from this week.

1. BRANSON!!!!

That's where we go here in these parts...it's about a 2 hour drive so we often go to Branson, MO. Funny thing, though. Even though I was born and raised in NW Arkansas, I've only been to Branson a few times. As a kid, my family wasn't interested in coming to see the shows and I only remember going to Silver Dollar City as a school trip. (Steal your Dollar, as we call it.)

My MIL was nice enough to come with us because I would never take the three boys on a trip by myself if I didn't have to. Just not worth the hassle, but with two adults, it's much more manageable.

Since I knew the twins would only be able to handle a few hours before having meltdowns, I didn't want to go to SDC which costs around $50 for kids, $60 or so for adults. That kind of money warrants a whole day. There is the famous

Only we didn't go in to see the show. Outside of the beautiful building, all of the horses used in the show are kept in their stables, which are open to the public. You can walk by and see the horses very close and that was enough for my boys. They are still talking about it three days later and I didn't spend a penny. Love it!!!

2. CAKE!!!!

I made this glorious thing yesterday. What's that on top, you ask???

Yup. Those are chopped up creme eggs. This cake is awesome!!!!

I got this recipe from Shay over at Mix and Match Mama! I have been trying a lot of her recipes lately and this one is my favorite by far! Click her blog name to go on over. 

You should definitely give it a try!!! 

3. Friends!!!

As busy as we are, we just don't usually have time for play dates and fun things like that. But any time I have a vacation from school, we always try to take advantage of that by seeing friends and spending time together.
That's what breaks are all about!

4. New Wreath

As I planted some flowers last weekend, I kept staring at my front door thinking...I need to get something up there. It's been bare since January and we took the Christmas stuff down. I went over to Etsy and looked at some wreaths for sale over there and thought, I could make that.

So, I went to Hobby Lobby this week and got some silk flowers, a grapevine wreath and a few other essentials. Here is the final product...

My 6 year old son said, "Wow. That's pretty."

I didn't even pay him.

That's all I need. :)

5. Finally, quality time with my boys. 

They keep my busy, keep me young, and turn my hair gray (thank you, hair salon)
but I love them dearly. 

Who could resist these guys?!?!

We were forced to stay inside most of this week, but we made it! And boy these guys have a ball together!

I hope you had a great week, too!

Thanks for reading!!!

Five for Friday

This time I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs for 5 for Friday. A little late as always.

These 5 random things will be like this blog, some real life, some school life. :)

1. Day 1 of Spring Break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And the weather is great so I told the hubby ( I really don't like it when people refer to their husband as the hubby, but it's easy, so I see why...) Anyhoo...I told him the one thing I HAD to do this weekend was get my toes done! It was mandatory. We had a full day, so it was literally a run to the shop for a quick soak and polish, but that's ok. Here they are for your viewing pleasure.

The hubby said, "Purple? Really."

You better believe it! Spring is in the air and my toes needed to feel it! They remind me of Easter which makes me happy! I was going to get a mani, too, but I just didn't have time. They were busy at the nail place today and we had to get to the ball game, which brings me to #2.

2. Hog Baseball!!!!

You know I love my Hogs! They're even the inspiration to this blog design! (Thanks, Barbara!) Learn about that fabulous designer here, if your blog needs a new look.

I'm an Arkansas girl born and raised. I attended the U of Arkansas (even though I tried to go away. That's a whole other story I'll tell another time!) and my dad is about to retire after being a professor there for 40 YEARS! I really can't believe that!

So, I love my team and had to cheer on my hogs. We can even take all the boys as long as we keep feeding them the junk food, they're good. They lasted all nine innings today and our friend kept telling us how he couldn't believe how well behaved all 3 of our boys were. I'm a prideful mama. I've got some good boys. :)

3. Pattern Blocks

At school this week we began our Geometry unit and specifically our standard was 1.G.1 Distinguish between defining vs. non-defining attributes. So, we got out the good ol pattern blocks. I told them to make a flower. No more direction than that. These are some that they made...

I love the uniqueness. Then we sorted and graphed. I need some new material, people. Do any of you have some great pattern block lessons or any others to accomplish these Geometry standards? We just began this unit and will continue it for several more weeks. So any ideas you can give me will be appreciated! :)

4. Gardening

 With the weather being so nice, I just had to go get some flowers. I took the boys and we got some pretty flowers and got them planted fairly quickly. 

Funny thing. I got the boys some kid sized tools, a couple of shovels and a hoe. And that hoe I got, is really a perfect size for me to use, too. It was great! :) Who knew?!?!

5. Testing!!! Yuck.

So, we're on Spring Break this week, we'll be back one week, then it's time for First and Second grade standardized testing. We take the ITBS. We've taken it for several years now. I actually created a little test prep document that you can find for a measly $1 on TPT. It practices the Language and Punctuation skills which are oh so confusing. Because of just finding the mistake in the sentence, they have to fill in the bubble next to the LINE that CONTAINS the mistake. Anyway, go pick that up if you need some Test Prep practice when you get back. :)

That's it! Hope to hear from you soon!!!

Let's Get Acquainted!

I haven't really had any fabulous ideas to post lately, so I've found my best bet to keep me posting is joining in on linky parties. So today, here's the latest...

Thanks for the great Linky, Latoya! You can read her blog here.

So, you're supposed to take your initials and write about three things you like or like to do.

My initials are JLB.

J-Jammies. I've posted about them before. I love my jammies. I am in them as often as possible. I often put them on around 6:30, right after we put the twins in their jammies. That's all I have to say, right?! Yes, I have two year old twins and a 6 year old. All Boys. 

Enough said.

I deserve my jammies.

L-Levitate. Sometimes I can levitate.

Or....sometimes I look up L words on a scrabble list and see the word Levitate and think it would be funny if I said that.

I'm sorry. Seriously.

I can't pick just one, so it has to be Love and Laughter.

Like this. I mean, does it get any better?

I know all of you who are parents understand but I never knew how intense love 

could be until I had these three.

And laughter is mandatory in this house. No one can take themselves too seriously around here.

And B-Baseball! Specifically Razorback Baseball!!!

I love my hogs and I especially love sitting in the sun and watching those guys play some baseball.

Luckily, my boys are getting big enough now that we can all go and as long I keep giving them something to eat, they're good.

What do you think? You could link up. too, or just leave me a comment below. 

Do you live in your jammies, too?! Please tell me I'm not the only one.

March Currently

So, I'm linking up today with Farley for her monthly Currently. Go on over to her blog to check it out!

In the meantime...

Listening...Silence. Something I have learned to appreciate more than ever.  I love those quiet moments when I know my boys are peacefully sleeping.

Loving...My new shoes from Nordstrom are coming soon! I can't wait! You can see them and
read about them here.

Thinking...Our school lives can be soooo dependent upon our secretary. Ours is wonderful and has been there for literally 30 years! She has become a great friend and I just hate it when she's sick and not feeling well.

Wanting...A change. And truly needing one, too. I've taught first grade for eleven years now and although I love it, I'm starting to get the itch. I'm not sure if it's for a new grade, a new school, or what. My awesome principal is leaving though, so that's causing more of my indecision.

Needing...some warm weather. I'm so ready to get outside and play with my boys. We live outside when the weather is nice. I'm starting to feel cooped up. Maybe having to do with my Wanting answer.

The last were difficult because if you read Farley's directions, you were supposed to find words that begin with the first letter of your first name. J is a tough one. But I managed. :)

First of all, I'm a girl, so of course I like jewelry, but I have really gotten into the big necklaces and bracelets lately.
I LOVE my jammies. Not really any specific ones, just my jammies in general. I should. I practically live in them when I'm home. Sometimes I put my jammie bottoms on as soon as I get home from school. They come on by 7:00 at the latest. It's those boys. They wear me down. Ha!
And finally, I don't hate jasmine, I hate that my jasmine tree/plant that I've had since my husband and I got engaged over 11 years ago is in a sad state.
I have lots of indoor plants. I really love them. I'm not as good at keeping up with my outdoor plants, but I do pretty well with my indoor ones. But my jasmine keeps getting spider mites on its branches. I keep battling them, but they keep coming back. Sorry if that bores you, but if you have a green thumb and have any advice, I'd love to hear it.

So that's it. Link up and comment below!!!!