Goal Digger

I started the summer with the goal of hitting 200 products on TpT.  I was somewhere in the 170s, so this was a bit of a lofty goal. 

Next year, I sold my prep (for the entire year), so I'm spending part of my summer trying to get ahead and retain my sanity for next year.  It's worth it to me to spend a few hours a week to sit and organize information in a calm, quiet environment.  (Well, as quiet as it can be with three pets at home!)  We're {doing something new} in terms of our plans and I'm rather excited about it!

A large part of that means reading novels and creating questions for my small groups (because I certainly don't have a lot of time during the school year to keep up with that! It typically takes me about a month to read a novel during the school year.  During the summer, I try to crank out one a week.)  I like reading so this doesn't really feel like a lot of work.

With the additions of a few new products, like my {Steal Away Home Bundle}, {Al Capone} teacher guide and {chronological order sort} for the third book, {Al Capone does my homework} bundle, {Al Capone Shines My Shoes} bundle, Al Capone Shines My Shoes {chronological order sort}, {Al Capone Does My Shirts} bundle, {Mega Al Capone} bundle of all three novels, and {Snicker of Magic} bundle, I definitely met my goal!

Up next? Wonder and hoping the Battle of the Books books have arrived so I can get a jump start on next year!

A Snicker of Magic

Winter Break seemed like the perfect time to tackle my next book for battle of the books:

At three hundred pages, it took about the entire day to read...which was totally fine by me!  It was a whimsical story (and debut novel for Natalie Lloyd).  The novel lends itself really well to conversations about onomatopoeia and imagery.  

You can snag the {teacher's guide} and {chronological order sort} at my TpT {store}.  

Up next?  

A book for fun!

Dashing through December

Disclaimer:  I wrote this fifteen days ago.  I was too tired to hit "publish".  I just realized it now. It has been that kind of month.
  Reading... A Snicker of Magic.  It's the next book for Battle of the Books.  My goal is to finish it by the end of winter break.

Playing... is it Winter Break yet?! 9 days...9 days...I'm playing this countdown in my head. 

Watching... Parks and Rec.  We just finished A Very Murray Christmas on Netflix!

Trying... to be positive.  This weekend was consumed by work.  I had to prep for thirty six conferences.  Each sheet for my students took, on average, twenty minutes.  I have three dozen students.  That was my weekend.  Oh wait, I also did laundry.  

Being a grown up really stinks sometimes.

Cooking... nothing.  We had left overs for dinner.

Eating... nothing. Wishing I had Christmas cookies...

Drinking... hot tea in an attempt to clear out my sinuses.

Calling... no one. But I think my bed is calling me!

Texting...no one. I don't actually know where my phone is...

Pinning... teaching ideas, always.

Tweeting... gosh, about nothing! It's been a while since I've been on instagram and twitter.

Going... to defeat this week.  I have Battle of the Books on Monday, kids before & after school on Tuesday for retakes, parent teacher conferences starting Wednesday, a friend's performance of Grease on Thursday, staff party Friday, math training Saturday morning, possibly a grade-in protest Saturday afternoon, a friend's ugly sweater party Saturday, and wedding dress shopping on Sunday.

Loving... that our Christmas decorations are up and I love them.

Hating... how the expectations from the school district never end, but my pay gets smaller and smaller...

Discovering... my hidden reserves of patience.  It's December.  My students are acting ridiculous.

Thinking... about the lesson plans I should put into curriculum engine.  We have to post our lesson plans...and it's the last thing I want to do.

Feeling... like bed at 8 pm seems like a wonderful idea!

Hoping (for)...successful parent-teacher conferences.  By successful, I mean not hostile.

Listening (to)...Parks and Rec.

Celebrating... it's almost winter break and that means a break from my alarm. 

Smelling... nothing. Thank you allergies.

Thanking... my coworkers for their honesty that yes, right now really does stink and at least we're in this together.

Considering... what to take to work for lunch since I didn't make it to the grocery store this weekend...oops.

Starting... to realize I have to make wedding decisions, for real, soon.

Finishing... grading.  It's an endless, daunting task.  Then finishing lesson plans.  Sigh.

What are YOU up to currently?