Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Limeades for Learning


Yes, folks, Sonic is once again running their Limeades for Learning promotion!

All you need to do is go to the Limeades for Learning site, and vote for your favorite project. I (of course) trust that you will vote for mine!

When you get to the site, do a keyword search for "Chester Co, Tn" and my two projects will pop up.
or go here: Save me!
or here: Sit, Stand or Lounge
You can vote once a day for each email address you have.

Sonic works in conjunction with DonorsChoose.org to help public school teachers obtain supplies and equipment for their classrooms. I have had a lot of luck in getting my projects funded through a variety of programs run by DonorsChoose and their partners. I am endlessly amazed that the generosity of individuals as well as larger corporate sponsors.

Earlier this summer, Bing ran a special Teacher's Appreciation program. During that program, you could make a comment about how a teacher inspired your or affected your life. Bing then sent you a gift card to use at DonorsChoose! FREE! My project Sit, Stand or Lounge was partially funded through that promotion.

Now with Sonic's Limeades for Learning, I am working on receiving enough votes to get both Sit, Stand or Lounge AND Save Me! funded.

SO, I am asking for everyone's help! Go to Limeades for Learning, vote for my project.
Vote every day! If you have more than one email address, vote with each one!

As of right now, Tuesday, the top project has 243 votes. Sit, Stand or Lounge has 15.

Together, we can make this happen.

Thanks

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Where does the time go?


Every once in a while, time runs away on me. I do not know where it goes, but I know that I am not getting everything done that needs getting done!

Since the start of the school year, I have been desperately trying to catch up with myself. I have made lists, I have canceled my netflix subscription, I have stopped getting on facebook as much.
Nothing worked.

I spent the past week working harder than ever to get caught up and organized.

I think I am just about there.

This weekend I managed to redo the borders on my Pieces of the Past quilt that were originally too wavy for my long arm quilter, Chris, to quilt nicely.

I finished the 12 large tote bags that were originally intended as gifts for the staff at the assisted living residence mom was at. I do not know what I will do with them now, but they needed to be finished.


I matched threads to felt to create the felt food that I plan to use as part of my Mustang's display at car shows. I also made a donut and a hamburger patty before I ran out of stuffing material.










I did some piecing on the quilt that I purchased the pattern and fabric for at my quiltaway weekend in June.

I also cleaned off the large cutting table in my studio by accomplishing all of the above.

I finally photographed and posted a number of finished items for my Etsy Store.

I needed to review and revise the social studies notes for my class. I finished chapters 1 through 5 today. I also finished my grading and lesson plans.

Last weekend, Vince asked me what gift I had gotten him for our 13th wedding anniversary. We do not normally exchange gifts, but I told him that on Sunday we were going to Lowes after church to purchase new floor tile for the main bathroom. We did,along with the grout, caulking and paint to finish the job. Last weekend, we tore up the old tiles, removed grout and caulking and cleaned. Vince started the floor last weekend and only has a small portion to finish. Yesterday, I finished repairing small holes in the walls and painted the walls in the bathroom. Tonight, I need to clean out the linen closet and remove the small piece of carpeting from the floor so Vince can finish the floor at the end of this week when he finishes his work shift.

Once again, I have a garage full of stuff for the inevitable yard sale. It seems that I gather up items no one else wants, sometimes items I do not want, and since I do not want to consign them to the landfill, they are hanging out in my garage until I find them new homes.
While I continually post items on Craigslist and Freecycle, I still have more stuff to get through. Vince and I are exploring the possibility of setting up a table at a flea market south of here in Crump. We plan to explore it next weekend.

So, that is were we are...some items finished, some moved along, some just a bit more organized.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

One Week Down!


Well folks, we have made it through the first week of school. Yes, school here in Tennessee started on August 3rd with a short but sweet half day that permitted the teachers and students to get use to each other.

I have an absolutely fantastic group of 23 students in my home room class and another absolutely fantastic group of 23 students in my team class. Since I teach primarily Math and History, I get to experience two groups of 6th graders every year.

For the most part, they are well behaved, smart and funny. I have enjoyed each day of the past 6 days of school.

We have encountered the typical issues for the beginning of 6th grade: not remembering which books to bring to class, not remembering pencils or binders or paper, not doing homework, doing homework but not remembering to bring it to school, not listening to directions or reading the directions and doing the quiz wrong (which requires them to re-do the assignment), not using pencil in math, using their index cards (Which are intended to become flash cards for studying vocabulary words) to write their vocabulary words and definitions five times each, not knowing how to multiply or divide, not knowing how to add and subtract large numbers, etc.

At the same time we have encountered these issues: fun and laughter, jokes, stories from summer vacation, cartoon drawings, entertaining journal assignments, smiles in the morning, "have a great afternoon, Mrs. Carrabba" as they leave the room at the end of the day, hugs.

I love teaching. I am so thankful that I found my way into this profession. I never thought that this was part of my destiny, but here I am.