Shenanigans of the week!

It has been a VERY busy week in our house.  We just bought a house yesterday (stress, stress, and more stress....) and I've been busy, again, creating LOTS of things for my classroom.  Not to mention, my hubby had his birthday this week, so making a cake for him and attempting to do nice things for him were in the mix.  So we'll start with the b-day celebrations...

The cake my littlest and I made for my hubs.

Cheesy little man with his daddy and the cake.

Getting ready to blow out the candles on the professional birthday cake. 

Always a helper. :)

And now here are some of the creations for my classroom.  Pinterest inspired with some of them having my own twist to them...

I'm going to have a board in my reading area for book recommendations titled "Books to TWEET about"!!  I think it will be cute! :)

Our LAMP signs (special classes: library, art, music, p.e.)

I've seen the idea on Pinterest to have a "sub tub" for when you're not in the classroom.  This is just my little tag to go on my tub.  No biggie. :) 

Another organizational tool for the classroom library...a "book return" for my classroom librarians to get books from so they're put back in the correct spot.

Tags for my "I Can" board.

I have the BEST principals!!  We had a new teacher meeting just for the new teachers in my school this week and in our meeting, these were all the goodies they gave us!!  Talk about awesome!!!

Some more inspirational/classroom management signs.

Cute little "subway art" sign for the library...

My twist on the "We're testing...do not disturb" signs.... :)

On to figuring out what we can and cannot do immediately in our new house!  More details later!!

Happy day, friends!

Woo-hoo!! Two posts in one week!

(To the tune of "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story)

I've been busy
Oh, so busy
Laminating and creating
For myyyyyyyyyy
Fifth grade classroom
So my walls
Are not
So bare
{Tra-la-la-la-la La-la-la-la-la!} <--that is the sound of the trumpets and castanets, in case you didn't put that together...

I have been busy this week, as my little diddy says, doing some laminating and creating (not in that order, though)!  Just checking things off my to-do/to-create list before July rolls around and life speeds up a lot.

Here are some of my latest creations {keep in mind, they are ideas from Pinterest, not my own...}

I've seen the idea for "Cranium Club" in the classroom, so these are some of the signs I've made for my classroom's CC! (Rules and different signs for those who have completed x-amount of challenges)

These are the different challenges for my classroom Cranium Club

These are the choices for my "I'm finished...now what?" section for once students finish their assignments.

An organized classroom is a happy classroom....so I've made these labels for my turn-in trays.

I've LOVED these boards since I first saw them!  This is for my writing VOICES board.

And this is for my reading CRAFT board.

In addition to these lovelies, I've also replanned my classroom (on paper) and planned out all {ahem...almost all} of my bulletin boards.  Yeah, had a night when I couldn't sleep, so that's what I did.  Awesome, eh?

So.....yeah, that's about it for today. :)  Happy day!

Long time, no post!

Slackers of the universe unite!  (Or, maybe it's just me being a slacker....hmm...)  So, it's been over a year since my last post and, whew boy, a lot has happened!!  Here's the skinny:

-ok, so I'm not as skinny as I was in my last post.  (Boo hiss to that....but I'm working on it!!)
-G just finished second grade and C just finished his first year of preschool {SLOW DOWN!!!}
-we're looking to buy a home [talk about STRESSFUL!!!]
-M is still working at the college and high school

I guess that's all.....oh wait, one more....
I GOT A JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I'm so excited that I'll be teaching fifth grade next year!!!!!!!!!!  {Can you sense my excitement?  No, not yet?  Here, I'll help you understand: YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}Ok, I'm done with the exclamation points.  :)  I am beyond thankful, excited, grateful, and am most certainly PRAISING God that I've been given this opportunity!  While summer (for us) has barely started, I've already been busy!  Here's a taste of the things I've made (I can take no credit for any of these....all Pinterest ideas):

These are some beauties that will go in my classroom library.

Some classroom management signs.

Some inspirational signs for the classroom.

Some more goodies!

A cute little "goodbye" sign and "the teacher's prayer" for my desk.

This lovely one is the only one I can take {partial} credit for...my classroom theme is "birds of all feathers flock together", so I did my own twist on the noise level chart for the classroom using different bird calls.  :)

I've made plenty of other things (all Pinterest ideas, of course), but I'm being too lazy to get them out right now.  And, can I just say this......thank goodness for the small Scotch Thermal Laminator that I purchased a couple of years ago!  I'm a laminating diva!!!

One more thought before I "sign off" for the day.....for those of you who are teachers, might I suggest cataloging your classroom library books?!  I just did that (you know, print out a card to put in a little pocket in the front of the book with the title/author that the kiddos will take out of the book and put in their "library pocket" in the room)....great way to keep track of books, whether it's the end of the year and you'd like to know who still has a book in their box or you're looking for a certain book for a read-aloud!!

Happy day, friends!!

Is it just me????

Is it just me, or does everyone have days where they can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely?  I've been having those days a lot.  I'm always around my husband and my two kids...and on days when I work, I see different friends.  But still, I feel very lonely.  {Sad subject, I know.....don't wanna be, but I guess just expressing my thoughts helps...???}

I've figured out that while I do have friends, I don't really have people that I hang out with or get to talk to very much....I don't have those girl friends that I go out with or anything.  I'm a wife and a mother and, in my mind, I feel like I have to sacrifice everything else to be with them.  ---Don't get me wrong....I adore my husband and I wouldn't trade being his wife for anything.....I can't imagine my life without my children and am so honored God chose me to be their mommy.---  I do wish I had those girls, though, that I could turn to when I just need an hour to away to refresh and catch my breath.

However, the girls my age are either a) not married, b) married without kids, or c) married with kids and have other groups of friends...add in to all of that everyone having work schedules and what not.

I think this all hit me the hardest a few weeks ago.  The series at church was called "You+" and the first week focused on "you + friends" and having those friends that know you and understand you...those friends you can turn to for anything....those friends who are there for you and you don't have to even say a word....those friends who you are there for.  They help with your spiritual growth...with your emotional health.  So many times, I don't really know who to turn to for those things.

I also felt this "lonely feeling" last weekend.  I was shopping because my sister sent me a "happy" (as my mother-in-law calls things you send or give to people just because you know it will make them smile) in the mail, so I used what she sent me.  And while I was shopping, all I could think of was how much I wanted someone (mainly my sister) with me to just chat with and spend time with.  That led to me to missing my brother and sister even more.  That in and of itself is a huge, vicious cycle...it seems like every time I get to talk to one or both of them, the amount I miss them gets worse.  Or maybe it's just because I haven't seen them since January...and for me, this is the longest I've ever gone without seeing my little brother.  Pathetic, I know.......

So, pretty much all I was asking was whether or not those feelings of loneliness even while being surrounded by people were normal.......or is it just me?

Wedding Bells {were} Ringing!!

Almost 2 [count 'em, 2] months later and I'm finally posting about my little brother's wedding.  Lame on my part....what can I say, though.  Life happens!

The four "original" Rube's

Can I just start off by saying that I'm the luckiest gal in the world to have such an amazing family!!  My parents are, without a shadow of a doubt, the best ever.  (Now, I may not show it to them or say it near enough...but it's true.)  They do everything in their power to make sure my brother and I have the things that mean the most and that we need....as well as have the thing we want.  They want us to be happy...just as any parent wants for their child(ren) to be happy.

My parents

The best representation of my brother and me.  So happy this special moment was captured.

And my brother....yes, let's talk about him.  He's my best friend.  He's always always always been there for me. He's been my protector.  He's such an amazing uncle to my two little boys.  While Gabriel was little, he was for sure Gabriel's best friend, too.  They have such an incredible bond.  I am more proud of him than I feel I've ever expressed.

Love this guy!

I even get to include my sister in this!!  My little bro has married such an amazing woman.  She is the kindest, sweetest, most incredible woman.  She, along with my brother, loves my children [and spoils them....as any good aunt should do!]  She encourages me, prays for me, and lets me know she cares.  I am honored to call her my sister and friend.

Claire and me...finally have a sister!!!

{{{end sappiness.................for now}}

So, here's the scoop on the wedding.  Can we just start off with how GORGEOUS it was?!  *Not only was the weather outside incredible for it being the first weekend in January, but every detail of the wedding is so beautiful...from the rehearsal, to the pictures, to the ceremony, to the reception.*  Sheer perfection.  :)  We had a "family only" photo session at the church before pictures.  A&C did a first peek, we did family pictures, then we boarded the bus and headed to Grant's farm for wedding party pictures.  {{Huge shout out to Mike and Cara Daniel and Exquisite Images Photography for capturing the amazing and magical moments that day!!  So blessed to have them as such great friends!!}}  Came back to church for the ceremony (couldn't keep my eyes dry the whole time!!!!), did more pictures after the ceremony, then boarded the bus again to head to the reception where we all laughed, cried, ate, cried some more, and danced the night away!!

The happy couple!!!

The day was a beautiful celebration of God's love, the love of Adam and Claire, and the love of family.  I am truly blessed.

A new family portrait!!

Junior professor? :)  *Gabriel before the ceremony*

Thank You notes....

If you've ever seen Jimmy Fallon on a Friday night, you'll know that his "Thank You Notes" segments are HI-LAR-I-OUS!!!!!!!!  So, here's your warning....I'm not near as funny as JF...or really even 1/10 as funny as he is.  But I do love his "Thank You Notes" and wanted to do a little "Thank You Notes" segment of my own.

1.  Thank you, inventor of Pinterest, for creating a site that consumes my free time...
2.  Thank you, Claire, for inviting me to join Pinterest last summer....
3.  Thank you, Pinterest, for making this "Martha Stewart wanna-be" look like I actually know what I'm doing...and for making me look like I'm a genius when it comes to crafts around my home and trying new recipes...

If you are not on Pinterest, you need to be.  My husband first viewed it as a waste of time (much like he views Facebook).....but he quickly learned that I could find recipes for things he likes as well as find different styles of home things (kitchen styles, bathrooms, homes in general), and he likes it a lot more now and doesn't {always} view it as a waste of time.

Pictures will follow of some of my Pinterest creations....

I'm...Dreaming....of a White....Christmas.....

No really, I am.  I always get super bummed when there isn't a white Christmas.  But hey...I'm truly a weird person who ADORES snow (and cold weather).  No matter what, snow makes me happy.

In the words of Lorelai Gilmore, "...it's just my favorite time of year.  The whole world changes color.  Flakes, flurries, swirls, crystals.  Whatever form it comes in, I'll take it.  We go back, snow and me.  We have a beautiful history.  Sleigh rides, ice skating, snowball fights.  I'll even take curling...I love curling.  Hot cocoa, hot toddies...best time of the year!"  And from a different episode, "...it's like my own present."  So true!!!  I feel as though snow is a wonderful gift!!  A magnificent, beautiful, amazing gift from God.  His own little present to me.  I guess that's enough about snow...but have I mentioned that I really want snow?  Especially on Christmas??

We've been doing our Christmas baking in the Sides Family Boulangerie (that means "bakery", in French).  Can I just say this, though.....I do not enjoy baking with my kids.  Most people LOVE baking with their kids, especially at Christmas....you know, making cookies and different yummy treats.  Well, I dread it.  I love the actual baking part...just not the part of doing it with my kids.  I keep thinking that each year will get better....but no.  Maybe I'm just too much of a type-A perfectionist when it comes to these things (thank you, Mom)....but baking with my kids is STRESSSSSSSSSSSSFUL!  **End rant**

In other news, I am proud to say that since I've been finished with my diet, I have lost more weight!!  Right now, I'm holding at 24 pounds lighter than what I was when I began my journey...one more pound and I meet my goal!!!  **In all honesty, I have not been trying to lose the weight...but I do know that I'm making healthier choices in regards to eating and I'm exercising more.  But I am certainly happy the weight is still coming off!!**

There are only 2 more weeks until my baby brother gets married.  The wedding festivities have been picking up and we're on the home stretch!!  I'm super excited for A&C to get married...they are perfect for one another and I love them both more than words can describe.  However, the whole them-moving-to-the-opposite-side-of-the-state part of it all really stinks.  (Most of you are probably saying.....the other side of the state?  That's nothing....try the other side of the country!  But you have to understand...my brother and I are really close...and I adore his bride-to-be!!)  I know that God will be blessing their marriage and lives together, so I'm just going to be happy and know that some day, they'll be back on this side of the state. :)

Since I probably won't be writing anything for a few days (or weeks), I want to take this time to wish you a very Merry Christmas (may His love be shown to you this day and every day) and a very Happy New Year...God bless!