Hello People,
Please forgive my absence, I had to attend a funeral out of town. Death always makes you take a step back from your life and the people in it and just simply BE. BE grateful. BE present. BE human.
I have a dear college friend; he is my amigo, my comrade, my brother and has been for the last 22 years! Amigo was always the guy that hmmm.... lets just say didn't want to commit. It eventually happened, he met the one. The one that changed it all and he gladly committed. He proposed and in the process of planning their 2012 wedding, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. My amigo was her champion and took care of her and loved her through it all. A year later, May of this year they got married. It was a glorious day full of love and gratefulness and more love. They were happy and peaceful and grateful. Sadly, upon return from their honeymoon, they found that her cancer returned with a vengeance. She died just shy of their two month wedding anniversary.
All I could think about was how is my amigo going to come back from this? How will he keep his heart open after this tragedy? How can he live his life without the person he planned to live it with?
Yesterday he said two things to me that touched my soul. "She taught me how to love." and "She adored me, it felt good to be loved like that." Those two sentences took my breath away. My dear friend had transformed before my eyes. I am so proud of the man he became, of the husband he was to her. He is better for her time in his life and she was better for his time in hers.
I am proud of my boy. My heart breaks for him, I cry sporadically during the day for the sadness but also for the beauty she left in this man. It will take a long time for him to feel ok enough but I know that it is only possible because of her.
I share this story to say please do monthly self-check breast exams and if you are of age to get a mammogram....get it. Life is truly precious and we only have one go at it...make it your best.
Until next time.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Back from Vacation!
Hello People,
I spent a glorious 7 days with my wonderful fantastic and incredible parents in South Carolina. I actually went down to pick up my triplets. Yes I have triplets! It still shocks me some times and they are 10. My folks took them down right after school and I went to go get my tribe. It was great to see my folks but the best part of my trip was stopping in Virginia and spending the night in a hotel all by myself!
I got into town by 1:00 and went to Wal-mart for some early school shopping. Was a bit disappointed by what they had. Last year I picked up many great $1 deals but I bought new scissors and pencils and folders and crayons and well you get the idea! My next stop was a thrift store and what did I pick up? What was the find of the day?!?!? OMG!.....I hear the drums rolling in my head!
yes my people a Dooney & Bourke crossbody bag for $7!!!! I was trying to keep my cool and not run over and snatch it. I forced myself to saunter over, casually pick it up and stroll to the register. Once it was safely in my hands I ran out of there like I just robbed a bank! Ooooooweeeee!!! But to top it all off there was a bookstore right next store! Now only fellow educators can understand the excitement that bubbles in your belly when you see a bookstore. All you can think of is all the children's books that are housed in there!
Now just to remind you, I have just purchased a great bag (see pic above as a reminder) and now a bookstore. I found some wonderful books to add to my collection but this book is one of my new favorites. Okay sorry I am ranting but I was always slightly concerned that technology...computers, laptops, ipods, ipads, kindles, etc. will dilute the magnificence of books. Wasn't it Carrie Bradshaw that said she loves the smell of old books? Well so do I, I refuse to buy an ereader. I need a book in my hand, I need to turn those pages and yes I need the smell of books. I digressed yet again but I promise I have a point. Here's the book:
Now this book has received some controversy because at the end Mr. Smith used the word "jackass". Its funny but inappropriate for our young scholars. But it is still a necessity for your own personal library and most certainly could be read to upper grades into high school. This book is an ode to print in this massive digital age. The donkey asks the monkey can it (book) text, tweet, wifi until he reads it and is engrossed for hours in the story. This book reminds me of another great book. An eccentric aunt saves a town who forgets how to read because of the invasion of the television.
Until next time. :)
I spent a glorious 7 days with my wonderful fantastic and incredible parents in South Carolina. I actually went down to pick up my triplets. Yes I have triplets! It still shocks me some times and they are 10. My folks took them down right after school and I went to go get my tribe. It was great to see my folks but the best part of my trip was stopping in Virginia and spending the night in a hotel all by myself!
I got into town by 1:00 and went to Wal-mart for some early school shopping. Was a bit disappointed by what they had. Last year I picked up many great $1 deals but I bought new scissors and pencils and folders and crayons and well you get the idea! My next stop was a thrift store and what did I pick up? What was the find of the day?!?!? OMG!.....I hear the drums rolling in my head!
yes my people a Dooney & Bourke crossbody bag for $7!!!! I was trying to keep my cool and not run over and snatch it. I forced myself to saunter over, casually pick it up and stroll to the register. Once it was safely in my hands I ran out of there like I just robbed a bank! Ooooooweeeee!!! But to top it all off there was a bookstore right next store! Now only fellow educators can understand the excitement that bubbles in your belly when you see a bookstore. All you can think of is all the children's books that are housed in there!
Now just to remind you, I have just purchased a great bag (see pic above as a reminder) and now a bookstore. I found some wonderful books to add to my collection but this book is one of my new favorites. Okay sorry I am ranting but I was always slightly concerned that technology...computers, laptops, ipods, ipads, kindles, etc. will dilute the magnificence of books. Wasn't it Carrie Bradshaw that said she loves the smell of old books? Well so do I, I refuse to buy an ereader. I need a book in my hand, I need to turn those pages and yes I need the smell of books. I digressed yet again but I promise I have a point. Here's the book:
Now this book has received some controversy because at the end Mr. Smith used the word "jackass". Its funny but inappropriate for our young scholars. But it is still a necessity for your own personal library and most certainly could be read to upper grades into high school. This book is an ode to print in this massive digital age. The donkey asks the monkey can it (book) text, tweet, wifi until he reads it and is engrossed for hours in the story. This book reminds me of another great book. An eccentric aunt saves a town who forgets how to read because of the invasion of the television.
Books will never go out of style, they will never lose their importance no matter how massive our digital world becomes. I believe that but I felt better when I read this:
Until next time. :)
Friday, July 12, 2013
A is for salad? P is for roller skates? W is for birthday cake? What is going on?!?
I came across yet another fantastic ABC book! This one is so silly and funny that my kiddies always look at me like....what are you talking about teacher?!? It takes them a while to catch on but once they do its with great enthusiasm.
A is for Salad by Mike Lester. Mr. Lester has quite an impressive imagination. The illustrations are hilarious and the kids really get a chance to sit back and enjoy a great book.
J is for hats? No silly! J is for the jellyfish wearing the hats!
And L is for that miserable lion using the hair dryer!
This is usually one of the classes' favorite read alouds and we repeat read quite often. A teacher's library must!
As always, I love sharing my favorites with you and I hope you can add a great book to your classroom library.
Until the next time.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
ONE OF MY MANY MANY FAVORITE BOOKS AND A FREEBIE!
Hello People,
I was looking through some of my books today and I came across one of my favorite ABC books of all time. I love this book. My kids love this book. The whole world should love this book. Okay enough this is not a paid endorsement really its not. Here it is:
This book deserves a hug. The illustrations, the alliteration, the comic book feel keeps girls and boys enthralled. I love to ask them to predict what could be the name of the next superhero and what could the superhero do that begins with the same letter. After the read we make a class superhero ABC book. I read this book every year and I have never come across a class that does not love this book. The enthusiasm that this book generates is a great school year starter.
I made simple alphabet sheets that go with the book.
I don't know about you but that post wore me out. I must get back to my place on the couch and watch some really bad reality TV!
Until the next time!
I was looking through some of my books today and I came across one of my favorite ABC books of all time. I love this book. My kids love this book. The whole world should love this book. Okay enough this is not a paid endorsement really its not. Here it is:
This book deserves a hug. The illustrations, the alliteration, the comic book feel keeps girls and boys enthralled. I love to ask them to predict what could be the name of the next superhero and what could the superhero do that begins with the same letter. After the read we make a class superhero ABC book. I read this book every year and I have never come across a class that does not love this book. The enthusiasm that this book generates is a great school year starter.
I made simple alphabet sheets that go with the book.
Super A! I love his mask - its a great disguise!
Please follow this link to my TPT store to pick up your free copy and please leave me feedback!
I don't know about you but that post wore me out. I must get back to my place on the couch and watch some really bad reality TV!
Until the next time!
Bloglovin?
Now that I finally get a blog, I hear that I may need to get a new RSS feed? Huh? What you say? So confusing but I am going with the flow. So I am pasting this link. I want my blog to follow all the rules.
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/9824221/?claim=3dmajxx94kx">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
I will blog about the things I love later but I needed to handle my blog's business.
Until next time.
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/9824221/?claim=3dmajxx94kx">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
I will blog about the things I love later but I needed to handle my blog's business.
Until next time.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
UP AND RUNNING!!
I have a blog! Hello! I am Lena and I am a teacher from Brooklyn, New York. I am a native New Yorker so I couldn't see myself teaching anywhere else.
I just completed my 10th year of teaching! 10 years! Time most certainly flies. I have spent most of my teaching years in kindergarten and first grade. This last school year I taught Prek and that was a real eye opener. I also did one year in 3rd grade (no bueno!). So here I am.
I hope you find something useful in my blog. I will post my everyday life as an educator in a Title I school. I will give away freebies and share with you my love of children's books. I have over 3,000 books and I am always looking for new ones. I loved children's books way before I became a teacher. I mean, you can never have enough books right?
Well, I officially did it. I wrote my first blog entry. Aside from going out to get my dog's food, I would say this teacher had an accomplished summer's day wouldn't you?
Until the next time.
I just completed my 10th year of teaching! 10 years! Time most certainly flies. I have spent most of my teaching years in kindergarten and first grade. This last school year I taught Prek and that was a real eye opener. I also did one year in 3rd grade (no bueno!). So here I am.
I hope you find something useful in my blog. I will post my everyday life as an educator in a Title I school. I will give away freebies and share with you my love of children's books. I have over 3,000 books and I am always looking for new ones. I loved children's books way before I became a teacher. I mean, you can never have enough books right?
Well, I officially did it. I wrote my first blog entry. Aside from going out to get my dog's food, I would say this teacher had an accomplished summer's day wouldn't you?
Until the next time.
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