Five for Friday!! My Faves!!

Here are a few of my favorite things!! 

I wanted to highlight my friend Courtney because she is so sweet!  She is so talented as a curriculum developer (go take a look at her store and you will see that, too!) and she is just an all around good person.  I have been so impressed with her want to help those around her and to make their lives a better place.  Here is to you, Courtney!!

I have used her Anchor Chart pack ALL YEAR LONG!  I recommend that you grab it so that it takes some of the stress off of you in that area.  I make my charts and 'lead' the kids where I need them <aka verbally leading them so that her chart magically summarizes all that they have said>!!

I couldn't list this at 5 because although I had a great time with Little Bit, we have had so many snow days that I have no idea what I am supposed to teach anymore!  Here is a picture of one of the hills in our neighborhood (and the 7 inches of snow we got!!) and my huggy buddy eating a 7up Biscuit that he had just made!  We had some dough left that wouldn't fit it in the pan so we put it in a bread pan and mixed it with some garlic powder and cheese and it was soooo good!!!

Most of you know that my mom died the day after Thanksgiving from complications of chemotherapy.  Her cancer was pretty much gone, but the last bout of chemo was just too much for her.  About the time I think I am doing ok with it, some little something will set me back.  But, a friend sent this to me the other day without even knowing I was having a bad day (Thanks, Debbie!)  and it was what kept me going when all I wanted to do was climb up in my mama's lap and cry.  I had to share it with you.

And here is Queen GiGi herself, my mom's dog.  GiGi has taken up residence with us and although I'm not partial to lap dogs (I either like them big or give me a cat) I am growing to love Gigi.  She was always with my mom and slept with her.  So, GiGi has taken to sleeping with us and is glued to my leg every night.  I'm not sure if it is due to the warmth factor or the security....but it does me good to know that a pet that loved my mom so much loves me too.  She is a trip!  Her favorite thing is to greet us at the door every day when we get home with her stuffed caterpillar.  After we play catch for a few minutes she is satisfied and she goes back to snoring!

I am thrilled that I found a whole bunch of these colored plates at Oriental Trading at such a good price!  Beats Hobby Lobby!!

I am really excited about the unit I am working on for the NEW CALDECOTT WINNER The Noisy Paintbox which his a historical fiction picture book about the live of Wassily Kandinsky and his art work.  I am not a real artsy person (I can't draw and have the hardest times making covers for my units) but this book inspired me and my 10 year old LOVED it.  Can't beat that!  So, look for it to come soon.  If you are artsy or even a non-artsy person, then you will be successful with it!  Your kids will think you are the coolest 'art teacher' ever!!

Teaching With Fibromyalgia

Did you know that a high number of teachers are suffering from autoimmune diseases?  Think about it....stress....kids with runny noses......testing...stress.....you get the idea!  We are a glutton for punishment.  This is what one article on Education World reported:

This study was done just 14 years ago....I wonder what the follow up statistics would be now?

Because of my fibromyalgia and GERD, I go to the chiropractor as much as possible.  I typically go a lot in the summer and not so much in the fall because like most teachers/mothers I have to take care of everyone else.  Knowing this, my chiropractor gave me a couple of bottles of a superfood.  I didn't even know what a superfood was!  I have to be honest--I thought she was wanting me to go all "granola" and become a tree hugger and all, but when I looked at the label and saw all of the vitamins listed I figured it couldn't hurt.  That was 28 months ago.

I have now lost 4 dress sizes and about 20 pounds. I no longer have to take medication for my hiatul hernia! And, I have more energy to make it through the day.

I tried taking a picture of the label so that you could see what all is in it.  If you would like to read about the Zeal for Life vitamin drink, just go click on the pic below.  I am enjoying life so much that I decided to become a distributor in the hopes that I can help some of you out there that are struggling with the same issues.  If you have any questions or would like to try some samples, just email me and let me know!  Best of all, if Zeal doesn't work for you or you don't like it, you can send it back for a refund!

I have been drinking one of these each morning and/or maybe for lunch for all this time and I have to tell you that I have SO MUCH MORE energy.  I am feeling better and I am able to 'manage' all of my 'jobs'--wife, mom, daughter-in-law, blogger, curriculum developer, store owner, etc. and I keep trucking on.

And, the good thing is that it has guarana in it and I am starting to loose the flabby stuff in my middle.  =)  My chiropractor says that she has lost 20 pounds from just drinking her Zeal with no other life changes.  The drink has kept me from being sick as much.  I normally have chronic sinus infections and bronchitis.  I am doing SO MUCH BETTER!

The funniest thing to me is that my kids even recognize that Zeal Wellness Drink helps me! I am very open with my kids and tell them that math is not my favorite subject nor my favorite thing to teach.  The other day one of my kids asked me if I needed my vitamins to help me think through a word problem.  Out of the mouths of babes!

Want to try some?  Just let me know!

Envelope Center Tutorial

One of the wonderful things about my life is getting notes for my kids....whether those are my kids from class, my god-children, or my kids.  Well....they are all my kids.  The other day my god-daughter was in trouble for something and she later brought me a note.  In an envelope.  An envelope that she had made.  I quit being mad at her.  The note inside didn't impress me much, but the envelope did!!  So...part of her punishment <not really> was to teach me how to make one.  My daughter took the pictures.  So...here goes!

Hope you caught all of that.  Sort of like watching a silent movie. hehe