Christmas Open House in the Library

It was a grand day in the library with our Christmas Open House.  Thanks to Mrs. Cook, her mother-in-law, her and my mother for their help.  Merry Christmas!

My Christmas Library

Thanks to all the parent volunteers and my super duper library aide Gina for their creativity in making our library warm and cozy for Christmas.  Merry Christmas to all and to all a good book!




Christmas 2010

Hello. So this is the picture going in our Christmas cards this year. Some of you are getting your preview. =) I love picassa from google. Merry Christmas everyone!

My 1st Book Fair--Go Books!

So, my first book fair is over.  What a great time.  I couldn't have done it without my volunteers. I'm so impressed at how much parents support reading and books.  A ton of books were purchased for our kids.    With my "Guess the pages" contest, I am able to give 25 free books to our students at Granby Elementary.  I can't wait until our next one in March.  Woo Hoo!

First day out of the way

What a whirlwind of a day.  It was great.  I got to share one of my favorite read aloud books with 3 different sets of little ones and got to put one book in about 100 kids hands today.  In a week that number will multiply at least 5 times.  That's awesome!  Throw in purse shopping and an all you can eat nacho bar and it would have been an almost perfect day.  I can NOT believe the honor I have been given to be a school librarian.  It's amazing. 

Mark going through his Gamma Knife Radiation treatment this summer in St. Louis was interesting. I wouldn't wish a "halo" on anyone. I'm glad it's over and doctor says it went just like it was planned. Only time will tell.

This is my family (minus Mark) in California. This was at Goofy's Kitchen for breakfast. It was a marvelously fun time and great food. All the characters came and danced with us. Great memories. If Mark had been there it would have been almost perfect.

It's almost July already?

June 30th? Are you serious?  My summer so far has been full of huge emotions. 

Woo Hoo I got the Library Media Specialist position at Granby!  I'm so excited and thankful.  It was a goal of mine that I felt God put in my heart and after a few short years of preparing and waiting it's finally happened.  I've already been busy working and getting to know my new position.  I almost can't stay away from the library. 
Boo Hoo I got the Library Media Specialist position at Granby.  I have to report for work August 2nd which in itself is not a big deal.  However, even after begging the boss, I can't have any time off during that week to go to Camp Meeting. That week is such a fun and relaxing time for my family that it makes me sad that I can't go with them.  Not to mention the fact that Mark and I head up the "Snack Shop" and consider that a time we can be servants to our youth group and other campers.  Now I have to leave it to others to handle. With one week in California and  one week at church camp, I will be apart from Mark 3 weeks this summer.  Definitely not my idea of summer vacation.
Shooh (pronounced "shoe") When it's all said and done, I know God has a plan that I can't always see.  It's about trust, right?  I will be the best librarian I can be and hope God is glorified with the way I handle my "Woo Hoo's" my "Boo Hoo's" and at the end my "Shooh's".

Summer is under way!

So here I am in the 9th day of June.  The hum of the air conditioner tells me that even though the calendar on my fridge says it's still officially spring, in southwest Missouri, it's really summer.  I have only taken one year off from teaching summer school since I began teaching 12 years ago.  That was the summer after Davis was born.  This makes year two.  I love not teaching summer school and feel almost guilty to be able to have all this freedom to spend on whatever... Yes I have made a list of things I want to achieve and also a list of 9 books for my summer reading fun (almost done with 3 already) but I can completely understand how I could become lazy as the days pass by.  I feel I can't use the excuse "I haven't had time."  Which is ok, of course.  Mark is still going to bed at 9:00pm because he gets up so incredibly early for work.  Since we tend to do better as a couple when we "hit the hay" at the same time, I also still crawl in bed at 9:00pm.  So in order to not get lower back pain or dull headaches, I can't stay in bed too long.  Therefore, I'm still up early every day.  My goal is to spend some time in quiet reflection before Davis gets up but honestly, I find I have the coveted control over the remote first thing in the morning so I'm either watching TV or reading whatever book I want to cross off my list.  Maybe actually typing out my lazy tendencies will in fact, help me over come them.   I guess the proof is in the pudding as they say.  I'll keep you informed of my anti-lazy summer goal if "I have time".........

Level 2 (due May 12, 2010) *worth 2 bonus points

The baseball and softball teams are raising money to help those who lost their homes to a recent tornado.  They are selling boxes of candy bars.  Here is some information that you can use to create a spectacular word problem:

1. Each box contains 10 candy bars.
2. The team is selling each candy bar for $1.00 each.
3. Each box of 10 cost the team $4.00.

Students who sold:
Keynan - 9 boxes
Dillon - 2 boxes
Bryant - 15 boxes
Coleman - 11 boxes
Klaire - 13 boxes
Alicia - 8 boxes
Lacey - 12 boxes
Mikayla - 9 boxes

You do the following:
1. Click on "comment"
2. Type a word problem using the information given.
    a. Include the solution.
    b. You must use two different operations in order to solve the problem you create
3. Type your first name
3. Choose "anonymous" and press "Post Comment"
4. Type in word for verification.
5. Try your best to use good grammar and spelling.

----Remember, the world (and your teacher) is your audience =)

My Reflection

So, what are my thoughts about this blog? I love-love-love seeing my students and friends reading my blog and commenting on my level 1 assignment. I loved sharing this during our class time and getting feedback from my students. What I don't love-love-love is the fact that I wasn't able to use the blog as I had initially hoped. I have worked diligently with our network administrator at school to try and get my students "permission" to blog at school. I researched the safety features of blogger.com and feel it is super safe for kids. However, convincing the powers-that-be that it is safe is another issue. My last "fly in the ointment" in getting my students to comment more is figuring out a way to get them that privilege at school. So until then, I have to rely on those families who have internet access at home or possible go to the public libraries to go online. So for now, this is just for fun. (which is really not a problem for me because it’s been fun since I began this blog!) Happy blogging!

Level 1 (due date April 2, 2010)

The solution is 24 days.
You do the following:
1. Click on "comment"
2. Type a word problem that will produce the solution of 24 days and type your first name. 
3. Choose "anonymous" and press "Post Comment"
4. Type in word for verification.
5. Try your best to use good grammar and spelling.
----Remember, the world (and your teacher) is your audience =)

From my cell phone!!

This is a first text message post sent via text from my phone. Have a good evening everyone! ;-)

Hello Blogging World

This is my first blog. be patient. More to come!