Five for Fraturday!

HAHA ! I never thought I'd actually post a "Five for Fraturday" much like others have. :) But this week has flown by too quickly, much quicker than other weeks! So while I'm a little late for linking up on Friday, I still hope you enjoy the adventure of my week and feel free to leave a little love at the end. :)

My week started with one of my best friend's wedding on Friday night.  I was blessed to be asked to be a bridesmaid, and the dresses were absolutely gorgeous! They were from the Eva Mendes collection from New York and Company.  The color was "Harmonious Pink" and it was just the perfect dress to wear as a bridesmaid and still have fun for the night. :)

The *following* morning, my boyfriend and I had ANOTHER wedding .. this time for my aunt. :) She got married in a church then had her reception outside at a park pavillion.  It was such a nice time with family! <3

Oh yea ... and one of my sisters made my aunt's wedding cake

#becausemysisterisawesomelikethat

#proudBIGsister

:)

I finished reading Wonder this past week.  I ordered the book last year, and after reading it, 

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG TO READ IT ! 

I LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!

This summer, I've tried to be more conscientious about going to the gym .. yah know, since I'm paying for a membership and all. I seriously love spin/ride classes! There is no option to just "take a break"! No matter what, your feet have to keep pedaling even though you can cut back on the gears.

I actually used to be an instructor at the gym, but once I started teaching full time [in March 2013], I struggled to find balance.  I get asked when I'm going to come back and teach fitness classes, but I don't know that it's in God's plans for me right now.

I spent yesterday at Six Flags Great Adventure with my mom, sisters, and my sister's boyfriend.  Even at 25, I wanted a picture with Tweety.  I loved Tweety bird!

I have scoliosis, so when I was in middle school, I had to wear a back brace for 16 hours of the day [insert crying face x 10!].  But, to make my pain a little more bearable, I had a picture of Tweety bird on my back brace :)  It was like a wanna-be-tattoo. LOL!

I came home from Six Flags - at 10:30 PM, mind you - to 3 hefty packages of books! 

Since my library can no longer consist of Magic Tree House, A to Z Mysteries, and Junie B. Jones books, I have had to mature my library.  I've been on a hunt to do this, and so I've purchased the majority of books from Amazon Marketplace.  

Slowly but surely, my middle school library is growing. <3

#taxwriteoff

#thankGodforteachers

#iteachreading

#donthate

;)

Don't ask me what else I've done for my classroom because it's hardly anything! :( Going from teaching 3rd grade - elementary - to middle school and ONE subject ?? !! 

IDK HOW TO PREPARE AND WHAT TO DO! :(

Tell All Tuesday: If My Life Were a Reality Show

 Happy Tuesday, all! Yesterday, I linked up Tara at 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It [read about my post HERE] and today I am linking up with Diana from My Day in K and Jayme from Teach.Talk.Inspire for Tell all Tuesday!

The topic for this week is .....

*drumroll* ....

One in a Minion coming Fall 2015 ;)

I'm not too good with assessing what to call my life.  I actually asked this to my boyfriend.  He thought the question was a trap and his response would get him in trouble. -__- But I convinced him it wouldn't.  He actually came up with the title "The Over-Doer", and as true as that may be - that I over do what needs to be done - it wasn't cuttin' it for the fun of this linky party! :)

So I began to go through my pictures, and I realized two things:

1. It am pathetic loyal to the movie Despicable Me ESPECIALLY the *MINIONS* !

#YesIHadAMinionBirthdayParty

#NoMomWouldn'tLetMeHaveAPinata

boo! :(

2. I may be 25, but I act like I'm 5 sometimes .. and most of the time, I act the way I would picture the minions acting.  #ILiveWithMySisters

#PiggyBankPainting

#ColorMeMine

#BirthdayPresentForMommaDukes

Must. Have. A. Wand. When. Teaching!

Why go to the movies if you're not gonna have an icee?

And so that is how I came about with my title - One in a Minion.  Of course, it would star me, and then my 3 younger sisters, and I guess my boyfriend would have to make an appearance every episode.  What would life be without him ?? !!  He puts up with my minion-mind half the time. ;)

Case in point:

#TheStoryOfOurRelationship

hello!

#SmileForTheCamera!

#SistersInANutshell

The End! :)

Monday Made It! July 13

YAY! This is my first Monday Made It Linky with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics! I have 3 things that I "made" this past week.  Have a few minutes? I'd love to tell you about them. :)

The first thing I made this week was a door for my junior church classroom.  A few weeks ago, our pastor and youth pastor asked my family to take over the 3-, 4-, 5-year-old classroom .. which I gladly accepted took over [for my sisters]! ;)   So .. on Friday night, my sisters and I went to church to decorate the door while my mom cleaned the church. 

The door isn't quite finished.  

The clouds need a lot more some love.  My youngest sister did them, and I know the girls were antsy to get to our aunt's bridal shower.  So I will be giving the clouds a little more love later this week. 

Plus, I'd like to add flowers to the grass.  For the grass, I had leftover green bulletin board paper, so I used that at the bottom, then had my sister cut green construction paper in half, then cut about 7/8 of the way down the paper to create grass.

One of my sisters has a sweet friend who not only stunningly beautiful, but she's also very talented! She drew the outline for the giraffe, so I cut him out and added brown construction paper on top of what she had already traced.  

For the spots, I just took a pencil, made some crazy designs, then cut them out and taped them to the giraffe.  I'm currently waiting for our soon-to-be-1st-graders to move into the next junior church classroom before I write my students names on the spots of the giraffe.  

Lastly, for the background, I purchased fadeless blue bulletin board paper and trimmed it on the sides to fit the door.  I started the roll at the top of the door then took it down to the bottom of the door to cut one big piece of paper.

Click the picture below for the link back to the inspiration for my door! :)

The second thing I "made" was a desk for me to do work! I sometimes CONSTANTLY rack up my stuff at the dining room table, and I know it drives my mother  B O N K E R S !  so, after seeing Ashley and Angie's #2getherwearebetter linky about Home Office Spaces, I decided it was time to invest in a desk.  I wanted a place to work and put my things much like other teachers.  I kinda needed a "home" for my stuff since I live at home with my mom and sisters. <3

maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

let's get started, shall we?

hmm ... not too shabby. :)

"I'm gonna leave the screws a little lose - not screw them in all the way - in case we need to adjust the frame." #mysisterisagenius 

ta da! the finished product! :)

Finally, I "made" it to Target! 

#teacherslovetarget 

#teacherfitbit

I spent about 10 minutes debating between the Charge and the ChargeHR.  It was only a $20 difference between the two, and I had intentions of purchasing the ChargeHR so that was the one I picked! wahh! No pink! :( But the purple will suffice!  I definitely was not taking black.  While it may go with everything and anything, I wanted some color and to be able to point out my fitbit. :)  If you want to leave your email in the comments, I would love to friend you with the fitbit and do challenges!  Or, you can e-mail me at jenn.snyder19@gmail.com

New Year's 2015 Resolution

I'm linking up with Primary Powers One Word Resolutions Linky!

My one word resolution for 2015 .....

Contentment.

I thought about "balance" or "joy", but contentment seemed to be the best fit.  Contentment in the little things in life, the BIG THINGS, and just myself - that life isn't a competition of trying to be-like-everybody-else and do-what-everyone-else-is-doing.  It's what Paul writes in Philippians 4 ..

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:11-13, NIV

While I will work on some other things - staying on top of grading, lesson planning, working out, and finding all that balance - my goal is just. be. content.. with myself.  Don't get down on myself for something I didn't do/haven't done/can't do - I can't beat myself up.  God's mercy is new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV

Happy New Year! :)

Wordless Wednesday

I realize Wordless Wednesday was probably the last time I posted!  It's been quite a hectic few days.  And tomorrow is Report Card Night ..

Nonetheless, once again it is time to link up with Miss DeCarbo from Sugar & Spice for ....

I moved classrooms this year, so I not only inherited the books from my previous room and the books I purchased at library sales, but I also inherited books from the new classroom I was moved to!  It still hasn't been enough books to keep up with my readers and their ever busy, growing brains that love to go on a reading adventure. :)

So, this year, I have been handing out Scholastic Book Forms .  It has been a great help to get books and high quality literature and informational text into the hands of my 3rd Graders.  And, of course, it earns our class points for purchasing more books for our classroom library! :)

I am a like a little kid at Christmas when these boxes come !!!! :D

I track my e-mails because I am asked every minute of the day when the books are coming! I can't wait for the packages to arrive! 

This is just a sneak peak at some of the books that I've order for the classroom - and this was just the last order that I put in!  Some months, I purchase more than others. And to be honest, most of the time I just purchase them myself through Scholastic.  I'm trying to earn as many points as I can before the summer.  I'm saving the points to purchase book sets for guided reading groups next year. My students - I have 55 in total - have been a BIG help in earning points for the classroom.  [One month - I believe it was December - I had a total order for books of almost $400 !!!]

I love passing out books to them and watching how engrossed my students become with what they have.  I can't help but stare at them because their focus and attitude are quickly swept over by this new touch that brings a new adventure. It's encouraging.. :)

What about you .. Do you put new books into your classroom library?  How do you get great books, literature, and information into the hands of your readers?

Wordless Wednesday

Today is the last day of our Spring Break. wahhh! :(  Thursday and Friday were taken back due to the 60+ inches of snow we had in total this winter.  

With today being our last day, it brings Wordless Wednesday from Miss DeCarbo at Sugar and Spice 

Our school recently implemented PBSIS, Positive Behavior Support in Schools.  One of the ways we acknowledge positive behavior is through Character Coupons.

How do you acknowledge good behavior in your classroom?

Be sure to link up too and share some questions from your classroom! :)

Happy Wednesday!