Guess what day it is?!?! Nope, not Wednesday!

Hey you, the weekend is near...watcha gonna do when it really gets here?!?!?! I hope everyone had a awesome week. Here are some things to high-five about his past week. 

1. What does it mean when everyone around you is turning 30?!?!?! It's means...party time! Life's a party right??? I like to think so too! For Nat's big 3-0 we flashed back to the 80's and skated the afternoon away. I think the last time I skated I was ummmmm 10. That was 20 years ago!!! I was definitely rusty, but this gal did not fall! 

Happy 30th Nat! 

Love them!

Cuzant and Nousin!! 

2. After the party on Sunday I was gearing up for a super busy week. Something to do every day on top of work. I decided that I was just going to take it one day at a time. I mean what else is there to do. Monday was fine and then Tuesday and Wednesday were super rough. I felt like I couldn't do anything right. My to-do pile was growing exponentially and I was letting little things get on my nerves and was feeling pretty defeated and drained to say the least. I had a personal day Thursday for National Boards work so that helped my mind relax some. My point for number 2 is that....I am thankful for Genna that just listens,  Jayne and her upbeat support, my across the hall mate Tabor for being just plain awesome and sending the worlds greatest texts, Welch and Toles for the hugs (they know I love em), Rowan and Meghan for providing the best instructional support a teacher could ask for and my kiddos for just going with the flow. I know it was a rough week for lots of people, but I hope that I helped them as much as they helped me.....cause that's what friends are for!

3. My month off of Facebook ends tonight. In the end, I really do not feel like I have missed much. I have received more Facebook screen shots over the past month than ever. Have any of you been keeping up with me on here? Am I even interesting? 

4. I have enjoyed getting to know the other educators in my National Boards cohort. They are super down-to-earth, funny, and real. 

5. These two though....are pretty darn amazing. 

6. And one to grow on....Steph and Leanne were nice enough to come over for dinner last night instead of going out because I just wanted to stay in. I enjoyed the company! 

Anything notable from your week? Everything is notable even in "tough" times. 

I am not afraid of tomorrow

for I have seen yesterday

and 

love today!

xoxo-Kim

Happy Weekend!

5 supercalifragilisticespialidocious things from the week....

1. I noted a few Friday's ago that I like snow days. I'm rethinking this statement now that we are at 5 and it's only January. I do recall the farmers almanac predicting a rough winter. Oh well...it is, what it is. Oh, and delays are cool. 

2. I think I work better under deadlines. I procrastinated some this week and I'm cool with it. I may not be cool with it April 30th. (That's when I am submitting my National Boards work.) I'm am declaring tomorrow an official work day. It's gonna be a  productive snow-day Saturday.

3. UofL's football schedule came out and it made me happier than a camel on Wednesday. I'm just pumped. So pumped that we should have a red, white, or black out every game. We should wear black uni's with matte black helmets and listen to old school rap music, throw oranges, black-out, rush the field often and tailgate like its 2006. Okay, so we shouldn't do all of those things, but I'm definitely excited! 

4. I am so thankful for my dear friend Jayne. We met in graduate school, taught at our first school together, and moved to the Lane as a pair. We do not hang out much outside of school, but I'm pretty sure my life wouldn't be the same without her. She is my other "piece" at school. Not to mention, she lets me bug her and I think that's pretty nice. Not only is she a great friend, but she is a great inspiration to all. You can find her inner thoughts at: http://anchoredwithhope.wordpress.com/  You will love her too! 

5. I mentioned last Friday I was excited to hang out with some favorites Saturday. Had a nice time celebrating Leann, Jayne and Bub! Leann gave the sweetest introductions to all of her guests and opened lots of things that will definitely have a direct effect on her becoming a master chef. Jayne welcomed 30 with a smile and did not flip out when I spilled RED wine on her carpet, and Bub's birthday was perfect family time! 

Happy Birthday Jayne!

The day is near!

I hope you can find 5 (or more) happy things that happened this week too.
Life is too short not to be happy.

XOXO-Kim

F.R.I.D.A.Y

Gimmie a F, gimme a R, gimmie an I, gimmie a D, gimmie an A, gimmie a Y.....What's that spell?????

FRIDAY!!!! 

1. Do you ever have to ask someone to reach things for you at Kroger? I do about twice a month and I am thankful everyone is kind enough to help a fun-sized gal out. 

2. It's a THREE DAY WEEKEND!!!! Yippee!!! I am so excited to spend tomorrow with some of my favorites! 

3. I have not worked at CPK since the weekend before Christmas and I miss it...a lot. I am excited to go back Sunday.

4. Brothers. Are. Amazing. They are just simply amazing. 

5. This week my students pointed out that we have not had to use our behavior letters. I am still thanking God that each day is wonderful in it's own. 

xoxo-Kim

A Book

January's Sparrow

By: Patricia Polacco 

Before we went back to school I was searching the web for some reading lessons. I found some reviews on the book January's Sparrow that captured my attention. I was excited to find and read this book. As my team was planning last week the standard we are getting ready to focus on deals with students being able to understand how visual elements contribute to the tone or beauty of a text. One of the teachers mentioned that she used January's Sparrow with her students in previous years. This caught my attention being that I had just read such wonderful reviews. I was excited to get busy reading to prepare lessons.

I was captivated with all 95 pages of what is probably the longest picture book I've ever read. The illustrations could tell the story by themselves and will go along perfectly with describing the tone of the story. 

Here's the gist...

After a member of their extended slave family, January, escapes and is brought back to a Kentucky plantation where he is brutally whipped, the Crosswhite family decides to escape up north to Canada. On the way, they stop at a small Michigan abolitionist town. The story is told from the point of Sadie, the family’s young daughter, who looked upon January as an older brother, with January’s interjections to relate the story from an adult point of view. Sadie’s favorite toy is a wooden sparrow that January carved for her, but on the night her family leaves to cross the river into Indiana, she realizes, heartbroken, that she has left it behind in Kentucky and her family tells her that it’s too dangerous to retrieve it. All seems to go well for the Crosswhite family once they arrive in Marshall, Michigan—her family find jobs and Sadie goes to school and finds a friend in a little white girl whose name is Polly Hobart and whose father is the town judge. And although the Crosswhite children have been warned never to tell anyone that they are escaped slaves because a law exists that requires escaped slaves to be returned to the south. Despite this admonition, Sadie reveals to Polly that her family are escaped slaves, and shortly thereafter January’s sparrow appears on their doorstep with a note that reads, “I have found you.” Sadie is terrified—has her new friend betrayed her, or have the so-called paddy-rollers come to take them back to Kentucky? One winter night the Crosswhites’ worst fears are confirmed when the paddy-rollers arrive at their doorstep. The whole community, black and white, turn out to defend the family of escaped slaves, among them, January, who displays his horrific scars and declares that this is what will happen to the Crosswhites if they are forced to return to Kentucky. The crowd decides that this is a matter for Judge Hobart to decide, who jails the three paddy-rollers for three days until the Crosswhites can escape to Canada and to freedom.

I am excited to share this heart touching story with the minds in my room. 

Sources: 

Polacco, P. (2009.) Philomel Books: New York.

Good Books for Young Minds

xoxo-Kim

5 for Friday

It's Friday, fabulous Friday....I cannot wait until that clock strikes 33333333333333....or 4! I hear that song in my mind on a lot of Friday's. It takes me back to my Mercy days. A few things to high 5 about this week.

1. We had 2 "Cold Days" this week. I would much rather go to school when it's warm. I've always been super wishy washy about cancelled school days. I think I've decided I'm officially in favor (until we have like 10 to make up). School in warm weather is much cooler!

2. I am glad that I was able to go to dinner and the UL game last night with a few favorites. I will take the blame for the loss. I wore a black shirt. Who does that during a white out?!?!!? 

3. I was given one of the sweetest and most meaningful gifts ever. Thankful. 

4. The quote, "Be the change that you wish to see in the world" stood out in my mind a few times this week. Are we who we want to be? Are we sending the message to others that we want to send? Are we living out the golden rule? Just some food for thought. 


5. Lacie reminded me that she totally loves selfies and appreciates that I'll help her take the pic. 

She loves  them so much that she face-timed me when I left and captured the moment. 

Is it weird that I think of her as a person?!?! Nah...perfectly normal. 

xoxo-Kim

High 5 Randomness

1. My hair stylist is one of the nicest people in the world. The 2 hours I spend with her every 10-12 weeks is simply delightful. It's crazy to think that I've known her longer than some of my closest friends. I always look forward to her contagious upbeat  attitude. 

2. Back to work on Monday and I am excited to see my kiddos! 

3. I really am going to miss college football. I watch it way more than what you all think. I just wished I had a knack to remembering all of the info like my brothers do. 

4. Ever notice how weird your house looks after  you take down your Christmas decorations? I didn't even have that many and my little condo looks empty.

5. I'm probably going to start watching the NFL next year. I will not be working on Sundays and will have Teddy and Copeland to watch for sure! Heck, maybe I'll join a fantasy football league....probably not. 

xoxo-Kim

I'm Not Perfect

                                                         
I was browsing Facebook on New Year's Eve and taking note to things people were thankful for over the past year and hope they have for the coming year. I saw a comment on a friends status from a girl that I've never met, but it struck a chord. It read..."Don't compare your behind the scenes to someone else's red carpet." Another person commented, "So true, sometimes you only see someones GREAT moments but we all have our behind the scenes!" I think it's so interesting the things that people chose to share and not share. I always like to share the happy moments, as do most other people, but hope that doesn't give a false perception of who I am. I am human, I have struggles, I am NOT perfect.  Not sure why, but I thought I'd share some of my not perfectness.

*I am selfish with my time. I like to be alone. I'm okay with it and feel that others should be too.
*I snap at my mom too easily.
*I get annoyed when people put their nose into conversations, yet I am guilty of this at times.
*I think I push people away because I am not a social butterfly.
*I am uncomfortable with my height even though it's something I cannot control.
*I find it difficult to go out sometimes because I am not "in style."
*I sometimes have a strong hatred dislike for my job. It's NOT the kiddos (even though they sometime push buttons), it's the system.
*It makes me angry when people put down other peoples sports teams, yet I keep my mouth closed.
*I am jealous of people with significant others around the holidays.
*I do not feel like I am always a good friend. I also realize that as we get older it's not about quantity of time spent together, but the quality of time spent together is more important.
*I get anxious when I am unprepared or late.
*I do not recycle.
*I sometimes envy those who do not worry about teaching. They just go with the flow. Why can't I do this?
*I am overweight. Being real. It's something I have the power to change, but it keeps getting put off.
*I am sometimes a procrastinator.
*I sometimes think that everyone should be positive all of the time, but know it's not possible or realistic.THEN on the flip side: Sometimes it's extremely exhausting being happy all of the time and it can be annoying when you are just "normal" and people continually ask you what's wrong. I know it's coming from a good place.
*When I am in a conversation I sometimes feel like I am not smart enough to contribute in fear of not making sense.
*I have huge insecurities when teaching writing because my grammar is awful.
*My car gets pretty messy.
*This list goes on...
                                                         
I am sure that as time goes on some of the above will fall off of this list and other items will be added. I just know that I am trying to become a better me all of the time through living life one day at a time. I am a work in progress...

I went out on a limb here and know that if you are reading this you will hold none of the above against me... Now trying to convince myself to click publish. ;)

xoxo-Kim