The One With the Snow

Snowy.

Messy.

White.

Record-breaking.

We have had 4 snow storms that have yielded us 6 snow days. Last night was the fourth storm and dumped another foot on what was already a few feet.

The forecast has two more storms coming in this week. Oy vey.

 

Fortunately, J had been convinced that investing in a snow blower was a wise decision after spending way too many hours over the last four weeks shoveling. After more than 20 phone calls, he landed us a red beauty of a snow blower that was delivered yesterday by some grace of god. 

Things I never knew before this Snowpocolypse: 

• There is a such thing as a roof rake.
• The National Guard may be called in for support during snow-related states of emergencies.
• Boston has broken more snow-related records than I can keep track of.
• People can get awfully creative when it comes to shoveling, creating tunnels to their driveways, and saving parking spots downtown.

 

Enough about that white stuff--let's talk football, pen pals, our 100th Day milestone, and pink and red!
  Let's back up a few weeks.

The Patriots won the Super Bowl in a nail-biting finish. An added plus was that school the following day had been called off earlier in the evening so I could stay up and watch the whole game!

 

We received our first batch of pen pal letters from our second grade friends in Florida. Talk about happy mail!

 

Two snow days Monday and Tuesday made for a short school week. But throw in Spirit Week, the 100th Day, and Valentine's Day and you're in for a fun-filled and jam-packed week.

Thursday was the 100th Day (after being postponed on three occasions due to 3 storms).  

Recording page for 100 coin flips is a freebie from Ashley Reed.

 

 

Certificates are from Hope King's 100th Day Craze unit on TPT.

 

 

Mrs. Mack aged 100 years over night!

 

If this isn't teamwork and collaboration, I don't know what is!

Photo booth signs were freebies on TPT from Stacia Seagroves. She also made signs for the first day and last day of school.

After Christmas, I think Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday. The red. The pink. The love. What's not to love? Probably my favorite part about THIS year's Valentine's Day was the great Valentine Exchange that Lisa over at  Pawsitively Teaching organized. I was assigned to the pink group with 21 other teachers across the country--and I do mean across the country-- Hawaii, California, Oregon, Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania... Each of my kiddos decorated a foam heart with stickers and designs that represented Massachusetts. We included the chickadee--our state bird, the Mayflower, sneakers for the Boston Marathon, witches' hats for the Salem Witch Trials, penguins for the New England Aquarium, stickers representing the Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, Revolution, and Celtics... 

I am not sure who was more excited about receiving the mail--the kids or me!

We kicked off the day with a few Valentine-themed activities--from Sunny Days in Second Grade and Ashlyn Ellsworth on TPT.

 

I also had a lot of fun creating Valentine treats for students and staff using creative tags found out in the blogosphere.

I won these gumballs and plastic tubes through a giveaway from sunny on Instagram. The tag is from @teachersunny on Instagram and the free tag is from Kelly at Live Laugh Rowe.

 

It's not a party without cupcakes!

Here are a few other Valentine treats I put together and gifted to the teachers and staff at school. (Follow me @thirdgradecupcakes on Instagram for the sources of the free tags and printables.)

 The healthy pink and red snacks for our class party...

The crazy chocolate loot I received from the kiddos...

A photo for the kiddos' Valentine cards to their parents...

With our state testing merely weeks away (!!), I found these testing treat tags over at Owlways Be Inspired.

A new, crazy show we came across the other night- Sexy Beasts. Think dating show but the three guys and one girl all wear a crazy mask until they are eliminated. It's crazy!

K is napping as I type this. Napping. In her crib. This nap concept is still so new to me because for months (ok, over a year) the majority of her naps were only in the car. My productivity was limited to drive-thru errands and correcting papers in the front seat.

The last weekend in February is our Fourth Annual Favorite Things party. Let the party planning begin!

Hello Summer!

I've had blogging on my daily to do list for days now, and on my mind for weeks.

Particularly with the recent gorgeous weather (with the exception of Arthur), I find it harder and harder to bring myself over to the computer to sit and blog. (Not to mention the comfy, cozy, relatively-new leather couch we have that I tend to pass out on after a long day of third grade and mommy duties or more recently summer camp, errands, mommy duties, house chores, daily excursions to the splash pad, local Y, play date, lunch date, playground--you name it! By 6:30/7 when Lady K is off in Dreamland, or adorably babbling to Mrs. Owl, Puppet, Lola, or Hippity, I am EXHAUSTED.

My "me" time is spent catching up on blogs, updating my third grade classroom blog for parents and families-- mrsmacksbatchofthirdgraders.blogspot.com,  finding new places to explore courtesy of mommy friends and 365ThingstoDoontheSouthShore.com, running when I muster up the energy, and chronicling our days on instagram @thirdgradecupcakes. Oh, and baking for my up-and-coming bakery Sweet Mack Bakery. (Shameless plug: Like us on Facebook and follow our sweet treats on Instagram @SweetMackBakery.)

Here's a snippet from the start to our summer...

• I run my first half marathon with Kelsey, a teacher friend of mine who is getting married next weekend.

• Mr. Lovie and I FINALLY enjoyed a movie date night. (It had been our third attempt, and well worth it.)

•  We enjoyed a neighborhood stroll with Memere and Grammy.

• Kensington had a play date with sweet Kaelyn in Hingham. 

 

• This little girl was sickie and enjoyed a Mommy/ Daughter day at the outlets.

  

• In the world of third grade we began our balloon surprise countdown to summer. Oh boy, did we have some fun!

•  Never a dull moment during mornings with Momma...

•  Playtime with our little family.

• Enjoyed Kelsey's "I Do" BBQ and baked for the occasion. 

And that's only a wrap-up of the end of May!
 

Teacher blogger mommas, how do you do it all--they're all 25 hour/day jobs--teaching, blogging, babies! Any advice is welcome!!

Two new year's summer resolutions are to blog more consistently and make more time for me and Mr. Lovie. The school year is too often consumed by planning, grading, creating, laminating, and prepping, that I want to take full advantage of these summer months for family and Mr. Lovie. I couldn't do this ride without him.

Teacher Week '13 and a Mustache Monday Made It

Linky parties with topics, themes, or questions designated on specific days encourages me to take a few me minutes and blog. And I love it!

I realize I am already a day late in posting this but I have a good excuse! In between taking care of my sweet sick babe, a doctor's appointment, and setting up Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts for my up-and-coming bakery business Sweet Mack Bakery, I had to tackle 2 presentations for two iPad classes I am teaching next Monday. Once Mr. Lovie and I both returned home last night, I had two free hands to tackle the bakery accounts and finish the presentations. (I hope to devote a later post about those presentations, the apps I've come to discover, and technology in the classroom...) Voila!

 

 Without further ado....

Sisters

I have been blessed with two amazing sisters I call my best friends. I can call them whenever and I know they would rush to my side at a moment's notice. As the middle child, I have the best of both worlds and have fostered strong, unique relationships with each of them that stems from our early childhood. We didn't have the luxury of dance class, gymnastics teams, or organized sports, but we had each other. That was our normal. Saturday morning trips to the library and playing "house" and "school" day after day. (Yup, I was the teacher--grade book and hall passes to boot.) Our mom did not tolerate fighting or bickering. at. all. I think  know our upbringing and the values instilled in us at that pivotal age has been what has defined us to this day. I have a difficult time relating to friends who have lost touch with their siblings or have had tumultuous history. Were we lucky? No. Blessed by the values of our upbringing? You bet.

 

 

 

Four Paws and a Big Smile

From Bentley to Spencer, Nana's Heidi, Harry, Sandy, and our own Ellie. Dogs have always been in my house. I imagine life simply wouldn't be the same without one.

meeting Ellie for the first time: October, 2009

Splash!

Junior year of high school I joined a few girlfriends who had been on our school"s swim team for many years. I loved my time on the diving team, and while I was hardly qualified for conferences, I learned a lot from my teammates. (We didn't officially have a diving coach, so what I learned I learned from the other girls.) Whether it was swimming in my grandparents' neighbor's pool or (reluctantly and nervously) swimming in relays in high school, I've always loved the pool. Will Miss K? I sure hope so.

Tokens, Tickets, Toys and a Husband 

Many of my high school years and countless memories are at LazerZone--alas ear tag party facility in my hometown. I began working there as soon as I was eligible to work. I made a lot of great friends and built some strong relationships there. Spending many afternoons, evenings, and countless weekends--from open to close--together, those friends became a second family. Hey, I met my husband there! (I found out years later that he got the job there to spend more time with me!)

 

 LZ's "Flower Girls" and the "flower girls" at my wedding

From Boston to Bourbon Street

I've been fortunate to have traveled to many places in my short 27 and a half years. In college I traveled to London and Paris with a few college friends--one of whom I am still very close to today, Israel on a Birthright trip with a childhood best friend. Boston College (where I attended undergrad and grad school) strongly promoted social justice and serving others. Service trips were the norm on spring break. It was rare that students traveled to remote tropical islands on their spring break. While at BC, I traveled to Tarboro, North Carolina and Huntington, West Virginia for two Habitat for Humanity trips. I traveled to the Dominican Republic through the School of Education and visited and volunteered at a school and orphanage. Twice I traveled to Natchez, Mississippi on School of Education-sponsored service trips. The first year I went as a student participant and the second time I went as a trip leader with two of my roommates. We had a chance to work both in and out of the classroom, and had an incredible time. While there, we took a detour on our return home through New Orleans. What a city!

 

 London and Paris with Jen, 2004

DR service trip March, 2005

 

 

 

 Israel, January 2006

 

 

Huntingon, WV March, 2006

 

 

Natchez, MS March, 2007 

 

Alligator! Tastes Like Chicken

While in New Orleans, albeit a few hours, we dined on Bourbon Street--at Pat O'Brien's I believe. Easy to please, I often choose a burger, sandwich, or salad, but when in New Orleans alligator it is! It was delicious, 

and it sure did taste like chicken!

Teaching 

 Public and private. City and suburban. Rich and poor. I've taught in it all. Each classroom experience has shaped the teacher I am today. From student teaching in Boston Public Schools like the Winship to the more affluent neighborhood of Brookline, I've grown so much. I worked with some amazing, talented veteran teachers and learned so much from them. I also had experience with some not-so-organized teachers and learned a tremendous amount from them as well. Teaching is my passion and I love what I do. (I forgot it was actually a job my first week teaching in my own classroom. I was pleasantly reminded when I found a paycheck in my mailbox.)

 

Mr. Lovie as "Secret Reader" in the first grade class where I student taught in Brookline in 2006 and 2007

 

Four Eyes

For as long as I can remember, I have worn glasses or contacts. The last pair of glasses I owned and would dare to wear outside was in college--at least 6 years ago. My husband has said he likes me in glasses but me, no thank you!  Yesterday, I got a new prescription for both my contact lenses and eye glasses. Perhaps I'll finally find a pair I like and dare to wear them out--in daylight!

 

My Dear Friends, the Real Housewives

 

I will be the first to admit that the Real Housewives series is in a league of its own and a fine example of scripted reality. But I love it. It's mindless, hysterical, at times, awkwardly uncomfortable, and downright over-the-top. Before Miss K, it was my after-school companion while grading, planning, and prepping. When Miss K would up in the middle of the night for feedings, it became by 2 am companion. Though I don't dare watch it when it initially airs (too late and too long with commercials), I love seeing a new episode or two waiting for me in my DVR. (RHOM started lasted night--yayy!)

 

 

 

 Little Red Riding Hood and a Baby Announcement

Shortly after my husband and I received news that we were expecting a baby, we were eager to share the news with family and friends. After announcing it to family, we chose to tell my best girlfriends all together. The perfect opportunity came at a friend's Halloween costume party. I nervously and excitedly carried the ultrasound in Little Red Riding Hood's basket. The girls were all so thrilled when we shared our wonderful news.

  

Today's actual topic is Classroom Digs. My classroom is in the earliest stages of set up. As in, we don't start again for a few weeks so my tables, bins, and crates have only recently been placed back into my classroom after the floors had been waxed. And boy, are those walls bare! So while I may not have pictures of what this year's classroom will look like, I'll lead ya'll on a tour of my class in 2010--my what a difference a few years can make! (I credit my southern bloggers for the use of ya'll--that's you Hope, Dana, and Erin!)

 

Also a day late to the party...but better late than never...

A couple Mr. Lovie and I have been friends with for awhile (The Mr. was my first good friend at LazerZone.) are expecting their first baby in October. I was asked to bake for her mustache and bow tie themed shower on Sunday. What a pin-spired shower it was! Down to the last detail! (You can find more pictures from the shower on my Instagram account.)

And, as a Monday Made It throwback, I am sharing a pretty-in-pink batch of cupcakes I baked in honor of a good teacher friend Erin's 60 mile Breast Cancer walk in September, 2011. This past weekend she participated in another in Chicago. Yay Erin! Be sure to stop on by her fabulous blog-- First Grade Fitness Foodie.