I Believe in a Literate Environment

Kids need to be surrounded by good books! I have spent entirely too much money building my classroom library. It's SO important though! Last year our district provided every single elementary classroom (there's six elementary schools in our district!) 500 books for classroom libraries. How lucky are we?!?! I have well over a thousand books now! And I LOVE it!

Here's my little, organized book nook.

These tubs are all fiction books: author studies, series, and some genres.

More fiction books: mostly genres.

Nonfiction books! The left side is Social Studies, and the right side is Science.

I made all new cards so the kiddos can sort them easily. Each book has a sticker on the back that matches the label on the tub that it goes belongs to. And I know I shouldn't end that sentence with a preposition. ha!

Here's my bookshelf! It holds my read alouds, mentor texts, literature discussion group sets, and my reading group binders and intervention data.

I just love them all. Maybe I should be a librarian....

Rows and rows of chapter books for literature discussion groups.

More mentor texts for Writing lessons.

I also believe in cute lamps to light up my little book nook. :)

Sleep.....

I want to go to bed so bad. As I type, my husband is sound asleep lost in dream-world. I was all cuddled up next to him, but I couldn't stop thinking of everything I needed to get done. School MUST be just around the corner! What is really bugging me is this professional development class I agreed to teach at our Co-op. What was I thinking??? It started out as just 24 teachers. No biggie. The class was full within a matter of days. So they decided to let 40 teachers attend. The class was full in a matter of months. I just checked, and they opened it to 50 teachers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought the room only held 40??? It's probably going to be hot and crowded and stinky in there. Then I will get nervous and start sweating. haha! Oh well. I guess I better start working on my presentation. I forgot what I said I would do, so I had to go dig up my old emails to the Technology director. I'll start putting my presentation together tomorrow.... Maybe. I am so taking this money and going shopping.

Meat-a Ball

My dinner tonight. Recipe complements of the Pioneer Woman. I love her food!!!!

I have been so busy lately! I am in the process of giving our poor deck a facelift. It is gray and mildew-y. I bought some deck cleaner and have been scrubbing. It's so stinkin' hot outside though! I am drenched in sweat in about two seconds. However, once I am done, it will look fantastic! I am hoping to finish cleaning it tomorrow, and then stain and seal it later this week.

I spent ALL day at school today. And when I say ALL day, I mean ALLLLLLL day. We had a summer school meeting from 9-12. I left at 5... How does that happen??? I completely lost track of time. Part of the reason is probably because I found my old ipod with all of my high school favorites. I was jamming out while putting together my bulletin boards and blowing up my ball chairs. I can't wait until I am finished so I can post some pictures! I need to go and get an itunes giftcard so I can download some new songs. I really want to put together a kid-friendly playlist to play in my room. My students last year got tired of my classical music CDs. ha!

Dreaming...

of this:

Ahhhh.... Hopefully this will be our vacation destination next summer. Until then, Bran and I will both be dreaming of this Mexican resort.

Oh. My. Goodness.

It's been awhile! First things first: Tiffany from On Love, Faith, and Family gave me my first blog award- A Blog with Substance! I have enjoyed reading her blog and about her journey into motherhood. Thank you Tiffany for the award! I am still really new to the blog world... I don't even know how to get the cute little "button" on here. ha! But here are the rules:
1. Thank the blogger that gave you the award. - Thanks Tiffany!
2. Sum up your blogging philosophy, motivation and experience in five (5) words.- honest, real, life, exciting, encouraging
3. Pass it on to other blogs which you feel have real substance. - I would like to give it to my momma! Her blog is very important because she gives me updates on my little nephew Drew.


My Fourth of July holiday was great! Bran and I had a great time visiting everyone at my parents annual party. I wish I had some pictures... I might have to steal some of my moms after she posts them. My dad did a great job on the fireworks as usual! And I got to spend a lot of time with my Drew. He is so precious!

I've been up at school trying to get some stuff organized. I had to completely pack up my room again this year because the entire school was painted. Pictures will be coming soon! I am so enjoying my summer, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE preparing for the beginning of a new school year! It's so exciting and full of possibilities!