Summer Fun and a Blog Hop

What a summer it's been! Here's a mere snippet of the fun we've had the past few weeks:

• baking for a teacher friend's boyfriend's birthday

• a visit from a teacher mentor I worked and learned from in college

 

•  my second Finish at the 50 race on July 3rd

 

 

• a rainy day July 4th play date

 

 

• a stroll along the Cape Cod Canal and a pool date

 

 

   

• numerous ice cream dates (which will continue Mr. Lovie!!) 

 

• kiddie pool fun at Memere and Grammy's

• a run-in with this cutie pie while leading the camp's Trailblazers group at the pond

 

• more cupcake baking for our school's art teacher

• a Trailblazing trip to the zoo

 

 

• a teacher-friend's fabulous wedding, lawn games, and cupcakes courtesy of Sweet Mack Bakery--that's me!

• Cupcake Club at summer camp

 

As you can see we have had one heck of a summer and it's not over yet!

But, I love back-to-school and I can't wait to tackle my ever-growing list of back-to-school tasks, set up my room, meet my newest kiddos....I just love it!

While I may not be doing much creating on the teacher front, (okay, none) I am happy and eager to share fabulous finds!

I recently finished prepping a few activities...

...like Hope King's place value Base Tents activity which she has as a Facebook fan freebie here.

3rd Grade Gridiron's Economics Vocabulary Mix Up (click on the picture to snag)

 
Baseball Multiplication freebie from Third Grade Doodles (click the picture to snag)

My future is so bright... QR Code and Regular Writing Prompts and Activity (click the picture to snag)

And just this morning I came across this SoCal blog hop....(click the image to surf away!)

  
and started following a few fabulous West Coast teacher bloggers like....

Teaching... The Art of Possibility

Sailing into Second Grade

A Grace-Filled Classroom

A Kindergarten Life for Me

A Teachable Teacher

 

Miss Kindergarten

Ramona Recommends

Fancy Free in 4th

 

...just to name a few!

Not to mention I spent an excessive amount of time gawking at Kristen's colorful organization tonight over at Ladybug Teacher Files and fell in love all over again with her fabulousness.

PTL for Teacher Pay Teachers' back to school sale this week!

A Giveaway; Five on Friday; Mommyhood

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First off, be sure to head over to Oh' Boy 4th Grade to enter Farley's fabulous School Outfitters giveaway-- $100 to spend? Yes please!

Earlier this week I had high ambitions for blog posts for Tech Tuesdays...

  and Throwback Thursdays...

and those days came and went without more than a few minutes spent in front of the computer. (Blogging mommas--what's your secret!?) :) But that did mean more time with this munchkin!

With it being Friday, and all, here is my Five on Friday. 

{one} 
 

Don't get me wrong, I love summer. And I love hot weather. But I've had enough of this oppressive heat wave. (Today's heat index hit 104.) A morning stroll has become a part of our daily routine. I need it. Getting out of the house with the babe is not the easiest feat. (Change her, feed her, change her, soothe her, pack the diaper bag, prep a bottle, ready, set, go!) So daily walks are great. The dog is super happy, I get fresh air, some sun, some exercise, and it often soothes Miss K to sleep. And after a day like today when napping was not on her agenda, a walk would have been wonderful. But alas, cabin fever set in--for all of us. And days when morning walks aren't possible because of the weather or our schedule, an evening run has done wonders for the long days, busy days, and slow days. Hence, while I practically live in running gear. So for those reasons, I could not be happier for next week's more tolerable weather.

 

{two}

We are loving Miss K's nightly sleeps. Footie pajamas and these velcro swaddles have been the answer! I haven't seen 3:30 am in over a week! She typically wakes anytime between 5:15 and 6 now. While it still makes for a long day--napless for Momma--I'll take it. I do wonder what life around here will look like come late August when school starts again...

{three}

I desperately want to tackles folders upon folders of TPT classroom goodies. (That is no exaggeration.) I cannot. find. the. time. Nor do I see any time in the near or distant future. I am finding I need to choose the ones I want to create the most and the rest will wait. The idea of having enough time to CREATE new TPT products sounds impossible.

  I'm struggling to find a balance with mommyhood and third grade and it is so.hard. Reality is that it will only get harder come late August. 

 Just picking up a book and getting through one paragraph as been a challenge. When Miss K is content/napping, it's a mad dash to eat breakfast, shower, pump, prep the bottles, empty the dishwasher, switch the load of laundry--napping..reading..TPTing takes a backseat--way in the back.

{four}

Yesterday was the hubby's birthday and it began with blueberry muffins--a birthday tradition that began on his doorsteps ten years ago. Miss K and I brought him lunch and surprised him with cupcakes and the fixings for an ice cream sundae bar. Tomorrow is our annual birthday barbeque here at the house for friends and family.

{five}

I received this email yesterday,and it revealed some fabulous news! Woohoo! My class is getting a set of 5 iPad minis! This makes the two iPad workshops I am teaching in August all the more valuable!

Today started with morning snuggles,

and lacked any semblance of a good, solid nap, 

was filled with on-and-off-again fiery, ugly cries,

dragged, and dragged, and dragged...

but then, moments after one of those cries...

and after another...

I may not always know exactly what you need or what you want, and I may doubt myself every hour of every day, 
but my patience and love for you will never falter. 

I love you sweet Kensington.