Just around the corner

Phew. I have a couple of days rest between visitors and I finally have the chance to hop online and catch up on all the posts I've missed!  I have truly enjoyed my slightly hectic summer so far and it is nice to be forced to not think about school and work!  Instead, I have enjoyed the beauty of Washington!

As soon as my guests left, my mind switched back to school.  I have taken on a lot of additional responsibilities this year, aside from the typical "back-to-school stuff," and I am beginning to realize that August/school is just around the corner!  I was reading this list of 21 Things that Will be Obsolete by 2020 and I started to get even more anxious! Number 15 is Paid/Outsourced Professional Development.  My district has taken the leap toward trusting teachers to run professional development for the district and guess whose team was asked to be the first guinea pigs!  I truly view it as an honor that the district I work for trusts my skills and the skills of my teammates to ask us to lead a professional development day for all 3-5th grade elementary teachers in the district.  I was so excited when we started talking about the possibility in April.  Now, now that the date is set and is less than a month away, I am beginning to question my common sense!  I can't believe that I agreed to lead a workshop on August 21st- less than a week before school starts!!  You know, despite the stress that I will certainly feel, I am still very flattered that I get this opportunity and I just hope that my peers treat me and my team well!  We are leading a day on interventions and how to use data to form your intervention.  It should be a productive day with plenty of time for teachers to work with their own data.  I know that no matter how fantastic we will still get negative reviews, but I will need to brush them off and know that I did my best and my team and I have the best interests of the students at heart!

Expect an update sometime this week on A Courage to Teach.  I am almost finished and it has been a fantastic read.  It is one of those books that you read slowly so that you can stop and reflect/remember the amazing words on the page! Looking forward to sharing my thoughts with you.

Teacher's Inky Linky!

Mr. B at Mr. B's Beach Brains is hosting a non-teaching linky party and I have a quick minute to spare before my Mother-in-law arrives so I thought I would join up! *For those of you keeping track, my father-in-law and step-mother-in-law just left Tuesday and I already have another guest--BUSY!!


Anyway, here are the rules: 


1. Please use good judgment when posting pictures of your tat. If it's in a place where we have no business looking at it, then please don't. If it contains profanity or other vulgarities, please do not post it. 

2. Please DO share your pic and story as to why you got it and what it symbolizes. 


Anyway, here is mine!

I got mine when I was 20 and studying for a semester in Costa Rica.  It is not that fun of a story- I e-mailed my family and told them what I was planning.  They didn't get upset- they just tried to pull the "what will your grandparents say???" guilt trip.  I am not easily swayed so I went ahead and did it anyway!  I had always liked the look of traditional tattoos and I picked this one because of what I was told was the original meaning.  I heard that sailors got this tattoo when they had traveled a certain distance.  I felt that I had traveled- both physically and mentally throughout my life and this one would be perfect.  I found a great shop in San Jose and even had the pleasure of making friends with some of the artists for the 5 months that I was there.  

Many people are surprised when they see that I have a tattoo.  I guess it is not something they would expect from me and it is not visible unless I have my hair up in a bun.

And if you have one, don't forget to link up!

Okay, time to get ready for round 2!  Happy blogging :)

An Award!

Is this really summer "vacation"?  I don't know about you but I haven't had a moments rest yet! :)  I am writing a quick post to say that I will probably be absent from blogland for the next 2 weeks.  My father-in-law, brother-in-law and step-mother-in-law are arriving tomorrow for an 8 day stay.  The day after they leave, my mother-in-law arrives for a vacation.  Needless to say, I am going to be busy!!  Before I take a pause in blogging I want to thank the TWO people who gifted me with the Versatile Blogger Award!

Thank you to Darlene at:
And Kaitlyn at:

The rules for this award are as follows:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you

2. Include a link to their site

3. Include the award image in your post

4. Give 7 random facts about yourself

5. Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award

6. When nominating, include a link to their site

7. Let other bloggers know they've been nominated

I am going to break the rules a bit- please don't take the award away!  I know that this award has been going around and a lot of my blogging friends already have the award but many of you still don't- so please take this as my gifting of the award to you! I enjoy reading everyone's blogs, I must because I spend a lot of time reading what ya'll have to say!  I am continually impressed with the creativity and passion for teaching that I see on your blogs and you inspire me to be a better teacher!

My random facts:

1.  I am left handed

2. My original degree was in English and Spanish Literature

3. I've worked in orphanages in Costa Rica and Peru

4. I sit wrapped in a blanket at home during all seasons

5. I met my husband while working in a bookstore

6. Disney World is one of my favorite places and I hope to go again soon

7. I like to read books in one day.

Okay!  See you soon :)