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!

Snowed In and February's Currently

A Patriots win, TPT Super Bowl sales AND a Monday Snow Day.

Fine...

If I have to.... :)

Today's snow day offered me a minutes to steal away to jump back on the Currently train from the always talented Farley. Check out her fabulous blog Oh' Boy 4th Grade using the button below. 


    Without further ado, here is my Currently!  

  Now it's off to brave finger painting and lunch--not simultaneously!   

a lot to love about February

February granted us another snow day on the 2nd, but Punxsutawney Phil promised us spring right around the corner.

Last Friday, I baked for a friend's Lia Sophia party. It was Valentine's Day themed, and while the jewelery was quite nice, I had to refrain.






The next morning, Justin, my mom and dad, and I met for a few more house showings. We started in Hanson, made our way to Whitman, back to Bridgewater and ended in Middleboro. The listing for the second house was one that Mom happened to notice late Friday night. Justin and I loved it.

• great location
• nice town
• good-size front lawn
• fenced-in backyard
  
• attached garage
• redone mudroom
• laminate floors in the kitchen
• updated appliances
• 3 bedrooms
• living room, office area and...
• fireplaced den with cathedral ceilings, skylights and a bay window

The realtor said we had to be aggressive if we were truly interested in the property. And aggressive we were. Saturday night we drew up an offer and eagerly waited Saturday night, Sunday, Sunday night, Monday morning...until at 1:00 on Monday we received a call that our offer had been accepted! We signed a few papers with the realtor that night, Justin scheduled an inspection and has spent many patients minutes and hours on the phone with the bank's mortgage officer, potential home insurance providers, and potential movers.

Thursday I left school a bit early to accompany Justin and the realtor at the home inspection--and it passed!

Throughout all this excitement, I have called family and friends to share the news. Lately, I've been thinking about calling Nana, knowing how absolutely thrilled she would be to hear our news. I hope she hears from above.

Given that this week was our first five-day week at school since before Christmas break, it was one heck of a week!!

Third grade went very well this week. I'm working on a bulletin board in the classroom entitled Reading and Writing Around the World. I have printed out small images of the covers of our Reading Street stories and laminated them. I will map the stories' settings on our US and world maps. I put a spin on a compare/contrast essay about the Oreo cookie and the Ritz Crackers using an idea I got from a writing lesson I observed a few weeks ago. Yesterday we celebrated the 100th day of school with a few fun activities and 100 calorie snacks! :) The kids also decorated bags for their Valentines for Monday's party. It's comforting to see that although some think/act like cool adolescents, they are still kids.

I was approached this week to take an online course through the DOE to become a math coach. I'm curious to find out what comes of it--the responsibility? new title? pay raise? A girl can dream right?

Given all of the exciting house news this week, I did have to call RO and explain to her that given our current financials and the house closing timeline, I would no longer be able to join her and the other girls in Vegas for the bachelorette party in March. She was so understanding, as always, and I have promised to make it up to her in May when she is back east again.

Got a call from Dad Thursday morning that Mom had passed out Wednesday night at dinner and had been unresponsive. She stayed home from work Thursday and went to the doctor and got a good report, but boy, those types of things really put life into perspective. She does so much for everyone else, and carries a burden for so many that I think there are times she forgets to take care of herself.

We're headed to my parents this morning for taxes/brunch. Amid a pile of correcting, I do intend on doing some Valentine's Day baking--perhaps two batches--one for the kids, and one for the staff? I also have an arts &crafts project in the works for Becca--whose birthday is today. I'll be sure to post pictures if it comes out half as nice as what I have envisioned.

a snowy, snowy month

Having received over 50 inches of snow in the last two months, the Boston area sure has seen its sharing of snow! My school has had 3 snow days already, and today was an early-release. Oy!




All the snow has given me opportunities to tackle some long term projects, (book labels, center activities, reading comprehension games) baking, (see below) blogging (on a sister --literally--site at www.whiskandreward.com ) and catching up on DVR.

Early in January, the girls and I went out for dinner at Jacob Wirth's before a drag burlesque in Boston called Jacques--quite entertaining.

one of the "ladies"

The following weekend, I met Sarah in Harvard Square to catch up over dinner. Cambridge 1 was delicious. The next day, after tutoring a girl for the MTELs, Mom and I ventured over to David's Bridal to choose a bridesmaid dress for RO's July wedding. Here's what I chose!



Justin and I began looking at houses and we have seen a few we are interested in. They seem to be going quite quickly. As soon as we see a property we like, we find out from the realtor that it is already "under agreement." So the search continues this weekend.

We also celebrated a good friend's birthday at The Half Door in Quincy in late January. (The birthday girl was also a flower girl of mine at our wedding.)

As an ode to the very snowy month we have endured, I whipped up these for the staff at school.

Last week, the other bridesmaids and I were chatting about bachelorette party plans for RO and a few cities were thrown around--as her bridal party spans the country. Final decision: Vegas in March at the Venetian. It will surely be a pricey weekend but a blast I'm sure.

For Soup Day at school, I experimented with a cupcake idea from Hello Cupcake! --spaghetti and meatballs. I was really impressed with how they came out and am eager to try a new design next time!

ingredients

"meatballs"

finished products

This past weekend, in addition to Justin's work holiday party where I had the opportunity to meet many of his coworkers at a Roaring 20s themed party, we also ventured up to Woburn where he purchased another firearm. Gosh, it makes him so happy. He could talk about them for hours. And I could listen on intently, for hours, wishing I understood, even remotely. :)

Also this month, Leah was offered a position through Teach for America in Memphis--and she accepted! I know it's going to be an incredible opportunity for her, and I look forward to helping her any way I can!

Speaking of teaching, life in the classroom has been going well and we've been having some fun! I have a few great Groundhog Day activities I hope to do with the class this week. The potential for a snow day tomorrow and an early release for professional development scheduled for Thursday don't bode well for all that I hope to do with them. My observed lesson last week went very well I thought. I was able to incorporate the Smartboard in the lesson to add an interactive element to our lesson on animals and their "sixth sense" before a natural disaster occurs.

I have found some other great blogs--mostly written by moms--and some by teachers, and others avid bakers--just like me! I've also been hitting the gym 5x a week switching up workouts between the elliptical and treadmill. Last week paid off on the scale--down 2 (holiday binging--eat whatever is in sight) pounds. Here's to hoping this week is equally successful!

We ordered photo Valentine's Day cards last night and I can't wait to pop them in the mail this week! :)