A long-awaited post with BIG NEWS

I'm embarrassed that it's been this long since a post. But it's worth it. I promise.

Between launching Reader's Workshop, launching Writer's Workshop, understanding the new Common Core standards, meeting the requirements for the new teacher evaluation system, presenting Web 2.0 tools to a packed crowd at the Massachusetts Computer Using Educators conference at Gillette in October, staying on top of my growing Google Reader count, and incorporating many new TPT activities and goodies into my class, life in Room 16 has been NON-STOP.

Not to mention, we're having a baby! :)

Amid the baby excitement, there has been much to celebrate.

 Last weekend included a delicious dinner at Hooters with the hubs, Sarah, Dan, and some best girl friends, a day in the city with my mother-in-law to celebrate her November birthday with handbag-designing, lunch and cupcakes on Newbury Street, some quality time with Leah (and a sleepover), a birthday brunch with favorites at Cheesecake Factory, and a family birthday celebration with homemade cake and ice cream. Yum!

No rest for the weary-- family dinner last night, a birthday dinner for a friend at Lolita's (tapas, pop-rocks covered cotton candy...) tonight, the Jingle Bell 5K tomorrow morning, a girl friend's ornament/beer Yankee Swap party tomorrow!

Excited for this week in third grade. I've got Holidays Around the World and some creative ways to meet the standards all while promoting the holiday spirit! (Composing tweets from Santa Claus and Dan the Dreidel's point of view? You bet!) 

4 days until our school's holiday party...
5 days until we see our sweet babe again in an ultrasound...
6 days until our family holiday extravaganza...
and 6 days until school vacation and time for wrapping, gifting, and a whole lot of nesting!

Time to hit the gym-- we've got 6 weddings and I have a whole lot of dresses to fit into in 2013!

A Digital Native at Heart

I'm clearly having a difficult time balancing my time between this blog, the kajillion teacher blogs I'm following on Google Reader, my photoblog for my 365 project and now....

my class Twitter account!

Fortunately, between my 365 blog and Twitter I will be forced to focus my blog more on third grade! :)

For a month that is often dreaded for being the only month without days off, my goodness it flew by! Here's a March recap:

• had a girls night in Northboro, complete with dinner out and bottles of wine
• wedding dress shopping with Sarah

• lunch with the Flower Girls before spending the night on report cards
• a technology class on math games for the SmartBoard
• Wahlburgers and The Vow with some teacher friends
• National Read Aloud Day at school

• many a dodgeball game at SkyZone

• a Lia Sophia party in Scituate and made strawberry nachos
  

• March date night at Four Burgers on Boylston

• enjoyed a Ladies Day at the range

• a Stella and Dot party in Newton and purchased these gems

• made margarita cupcakes for the party

• booked my very own Stella and Dot party in May
• tried some amazing new recipes courtesy of Pinterest including a new favorite around our house--baked angel hair or slow cooker honey sesame chicken

• ran my personal best at Marshfield's St. Patrick's Day 5K

• baked some St. Paddy's Day sweets
  

• enjoyed dinner at Lolita's after Shecky's Girls Night Out

• dined at Marliave for Boston's Restaurant Week--finally no rain!

• spent a weekend in New York City for a free conference at Columbia with some teacher friends

• got word that a bestie is engaged! So happy for Kerri and Steve!
• worked our first craft fair at MP

phew! What a month!

The one with the back-to-school, 5K prep, twice weekly baking, and house siding

Our first 5-day school week has been going pretty steady and smooth. I've tried a few new routines and improved a few activities and it's been nice to see the change go so smoothly.

I'm sick.

I hate being sick.

It slows me down, and I don't like to slow down.

[Rewind 6 days]

Sarah, Leah, Momma, and I spent the weekend in Wells and Ogunquit, Maine and enjoyed gorgeous beach and poolside weather. (Not to mention some schmying and buying in the Kittery Outlets.)

Drake's Beach Saturday morning

Whipped up these guys for the MP staff for the Patriots' season opener Monday night. (They were good luck charms--they won!)


Tuesday night, the girls met in Wrentham to celebrate Danielle and E's birthday.

Last night Justin and I ran Sunday's 5K route after work. It's a bit hilly, but I'm glad we did a test run--no pun intended. I beat my personal best from May's 5K. So that's exciting.

Baked a batch of cupcakes for the secretary's birthday, and could not have been more eager to get.home.

The afternoon iced coffee, sweats, DVR, and a magazine served as some well-needed r&r but of course that didn't last too long. After an LA Ink and Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta, I was sweeping the house-- dog hair (ugh!)--and ripping siding from the garage.

Dinner is in the oven, and I couldn't be happier that tomorrow is Friday and a Jeans Day.

The one with the backpack swap and frozen Little Hug

Teachers have First Day Jitters too! Had an excited/anxious sleep last night, so I am pleased to have Day 1 in the bag!

If Mrs. Mack wrote a book it would follow a bit like this:

Chapter 1: Operation Backpack Swap

(A boy's backpack got switched at morning recess and he realized it once the children (excitedly) emptied their backpacks of crisp, new school supplies and he did not recognize the school supplies or snack packed inside.)

Chapter 2: Frozen Drinks

(A mom froze a child's Little Hug juice and come snack time...it was still frozen. Frozen sugar water does little to quench an eight-year-old's thirst.)

Chapter 3: Where Did He Go?

(Young boy from said backpack swap left our classroom for the daycare room at dismissal. The daycare supervisor never saw him. They paged for him. He was found shortly after outside with the crossing guard.)

Chapter 4: Screwed

(We heard/found a screw in the rear left tire of my car last night.My afternoon led me to a local mechanic in town who was exceptionally friendly and welcoming and plugged the tire.)

Chapter 5:

Can't Pay With Good Looks Alone (Attempted to check out at Stop and Shop (yayy for milk and dairy products post-Irene) without my wallet--conveniently back in the car from the aforementioned mechanic visit.)

Chapter 6: Run Like the Wind

(Ended the afternoon with a 28-minute run for Week 8 with the husband. We registered for our first 5k together--18 days away!!)


To end on a sweet note...

Tweet! Tweet! It's back to school!

the whole nest

In the Fast Lane

Past:

Last Friday night Dad, Sarah, I enjoyed Matt Nathanson, Little Big Town, and Sugarland in concert at the Comcast Center.

Early the next morning I ran my first 5K with Memorial Park teachers. By no means did I race per se, but I finished it!

That night I headed to Northborough for a bbq. Sunday we spent the day working on the house some more and taking the last of the boxes out of Bridgewater.

Last night, I met Becca at Hingham Shipyard (my new favorite place) for dinner and a $5 movie--Bridesmaids.



Present:

We just got back from date night at Panera. We have been so busy the past few weeks, it was nice to be out--just the two of us.


Future:

My class is Skyping in with their Pennsylvanian pen pals tomorrow at one.

Writing class is over tomorrow night.

Leah's see-you-soon dinner is Friday night.

Baking and girly fun scheduled for Saturday.

Triple date with my favorite bride-to-be in the North End Saturday night.

Long weekend ahead...

Math coaching class ends next Thursday.

Third grade is winding down. . .