Nonies Having a Birthday!

O.H. my word! My beautiful, rambunctious nephew is turning 4 tomorrow! How can that be? I'm sure my brother & Evelyn feel the same...but really, where does the time go?

I can't wait to see him tomorrow, at Mr. Bigg's house {so funny that he calls it that} and give him his presents...

1. An Elf on a Shelf - I bought one for my class too, and parents let me tell you Taylor the Elf {named by my 24 1st graders} is Ah-MAZ-ing at correcting behavior so only nice things are reported to Santa each night! Plus, it is so fun to watch the children scour the room looking for the elf's latest hiding spot. If you don't have one, you are missing out on a F.U.N. Christmas tradition!



2. Art supplies - the kid loves to color, the bulk of his gift was #1. I just wanted to give him some fun things to supplement (and I don't want him to only get Christmas-y gifts from me on his birthday).

I swear though, December birthdays should be outlawed - not because we don't want to celebrate. But what do you get for a kid who will get a TON in 3 weeks?!?!

XOXO Noah, Aunite KK loves you so much!

Civic Duty {stinks}!

So I hesitantly entered the Colorado Springs Judicial Building at 8:00am on Monday. I walked out, at 5:45pm in tears - wandering, because I was LOST & being followed by some homeless vagrant in the dark!!

Well, I was rescued (by the judge's paralegal, she recognized me - THANK YOU JESUS, literally, she saved me; I was 5 blocks from my parking garage). I know more about downtown than ever before, too bad I won't get a chance to WINDOW SHOP at Christmas while I've been there.

It has been a whole week, of blah, blah, blah...I think I can identify 3/4 of CSPD {some were pretty HOT, so it wasn't a total wash}. I had a crazy sub & I'm pretty sure my kids have gone berserk, but I am resigned to the fact that this is out of my control. I listen to the babble all day & write papers and lesson plans 'til 10pm every night, because jury duty isn't an extenuating circumstance, as far as grad. school is concerned {J.O.Y.}!

I keep waiting for the time when "it will feel like a privilege!" as the judge stated. {I had my fingers crossed on Friday that I was a secret alternate...I wanted it B.A.D. - I would have left the place in a blaze of GLORY!} But, lucky I AM NOT {crazy, check} - pray for wisdom & insight.

A tough day awaits...

New Blog & blah, Blah, BLAH!!

So I did it - I started a classroom blog!

It's called Crayon Confessions
The colorful happenings of Miss King's classroom, Room #13 - Don't you love the title? {If not, keep it to yourself, I've been really working hard on it :0)!!!}

It is far from done - I'll give you more info on my school blog - right now it's just empty (but I was in love with my title, so I found a free HEADER so I could snatch up the title...now I'm trying to decide if I wanna pay for super special buttons & graphics to really beef it up - since I'll ask parents to stop by and view the pics.).

I haven't been this pumped up about SCHOOL STUFF for some time! I have so many ideas that my plans are sketched out until 11/22 (Thanksgiving break starts 11/23). {C-ha-RAZY!!!!}

So what will I blog about now that school has it's own place? I am going to have to get a life - oh wait, until recently I was blogging all about other things. Now I just have to get some balance...and man, can I just say, Pinterest is ADDICTIVE!!

I have found so many ideas - already have a plan for my homemade Christmas ornaments, for the family!! I can't post until after 12/25 because that would ruin the surprise - but, they are SUPER cute, made by me, & OH SO EASY - that has become a PRE-requisite!!

The button ones I made last year were too, if you're looking for a simple ornament project look here.

Oh, and my newest quilt Rockefeller Rival is going to be fun to get started. I bought {and gifted} the circle cutter to my mom - so with my "Reindeer Games" layer cake & tools in hand, I'm all set to get that going!

So this post is turning into a brain dump, but my house is {mostly} decorated for fall - is yours? Can't wait to finish jig sawing with Jen to add those fun pumpkins to my fall decor stash. BTW, how did crackle painting turn out J?

That's all now - (like this isn't enough)!!

XOXO,
Kristan

New Ideas

So loving the world of teacher blogging...thinking of posting some of my very own ideas (someday) when grad school is finished, maybe!!

As of right now loving finding new ideas from other 1st grade teachers - so excited to make Frankie Friend Glyphs (check out Mrs. Jump's TpT store) and do a Wizard of Oz unit (thanks to Babbling Abby).

My head is still spinning, so much to do for my 2 week fall break & I'm super excited to get it all planned out! Loving my job,

~Kristan

"Reindeer Games" Layer Cake

So I just got a great surprise - my newest quilt pattern 'Rockafellar Rival' from the 'Reindeer Games' line, a layer cake (basically like the charm pack I linked to above, but larger squares. {Isn't it DARLING?!?!}

And let me tell you after this week, it couldn't have come at a better time! I am beyond tired, stressed, and frustrated. I need a strong drink and a new attitude about the whole situation.

For now, I'm just praying about it & trying to leave it with God - He is after all the only one who I can count on.

Can't wait to sew my stress away this weekend :0) - next week HAS to get better or I'm going to take a personal day - a personal day to catch up on sleep and stop this stress!

How Did I Miss This?

So, I've spent all day on Blogger! Basically I've tapped into the collaborative teaching community that is 1st Grade Teachers blogging...and I must say - WOW!

My head is spinning with ideas - can't wait to start my Johnny Appleseed unit Monday & even more so because I found a MILLION ideas to enhance it.

I'm so excited for all my new stuff that I added all my favorites to a blog list...don't be sad if you're a blogger friend, my blog list is for my TEACHING ideas. Maybe I'll just turn this blog into a teaching one...but hence I've got one with my new school website! Can't wait to post photos and clips of my students' apple work.

Lovin' blogs right now :0)!!

Hurt People, Hurt People

This week I've experienced more than ever: Hurt people, hurt people.

I am trying to keep that in mind when I stand, open-mouthed, shocked, stunned, amazed at the things people say (or feel that they can say). Whether true or not, there are boundaries you should adhere to in your speech and quite frankly, there is a certain tact that you should aim for as well.

I am far from perfect in this area - BELIEVE me! But, what I hold fast to are simple truths (taught by my mother and God) and I feel might need a revival, so here goes:

1. If you don't have anything nice to say - don't say ANYTHING at all! BEFORE saying something out-and-out rude, just ponder "Should I go there?"


2. Kill 'em with kindness - for those of us reeling with anger over how we've been spoken to or treated.


3. This one hangs in my house: "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." Proverbs 25:11 - maybe using this as a guide. I think this: complements make someone bloom, criticism makes someone wilt (you can see it happening, I swear & quite frankly, HOW SAD!).

So lesson to me - rise above the nonsense and do/be better! Don't let hurt people get a dig in, rather pray for them. Hard to do, but I do feel sympathy for them - truly. I love my family! My blessings in this area are OVERWHELMING...that is just for my family, not to mention my job and other areas.

I'm actively choosing to be a "the cup is half-full" person - because really, when I stop and take account, my cup runneth over!!!!