Spring Teacher Blogger Meet-Up: The Best Weekend to Be A Blogger!

Two weeks ago, a group of almost 100 teachers figuratively literally flooded the small town of French Lick, Indiana.  I got to spend the weekend with some of my closest friends (and meeting new ones) who have the same passion for teaching, creating, and blogging.  And I walked away with tips, tricks, and some AWESOME  teacher swag!

Friday
 First and formost, how many people can say they work with one of their closest teaching and blogging buddy?!  For weeks Ciera, from Adventures of Room 129, and I had been counting down the days before this meet up.  As soon as the bell dismissed our kids, we hopped in her car and began the 3hr trek from Indianapolis.  We were so excited, we only made a single pit stop on the entire trip and that was to pick up the wonderful Brenda from Primary Inspired.  The drive down was spent mainly buzzing about how excited we were to get to see all of our old friends from last year and stalk blog crushes meet new friends.  Especially getting to know my final roomie Brandy from Firstie Kidoodles.

Check out the rooms and amenities this place has.  It's seriously amazing inside and out! http://www.frenchlick.com/hotels/frenchlick#

Beautiful right?!
From there we took a trolley over to the West Baden Hotel to see the "Light Show".

The night ended with us getting asked to leave because we were talking and laughing so much.
We even got to use Greg from Kindergarten Smorgasbord's selfie stick.

Saturday
After some much needed rest and errand running we got to go in and get a sneak peek at all the hardwork that  went into this meet up!

The room was decorated with adorable poms, personalized name tags, and stationary all thanks to School Girl Style!

(Aka: the best teacher/wedding decor company ever.)


The afternoon started out with lunch and introductions, which make this gal become Nervous Nelly, but somehow I persevered!  After everyone had been introduced it was time for our teacher tool swap.  So much fun!  Check out my last post if you wanna know what I got!  Coolest part was I even ran into another blogger that I'd been collaberatively blogging with for months!
Absolutely loved meeting and getting to know Debbi from 3rd Grade Pad.

One of my favorite parts was when we broke off into 3 sessions for small table discussions.
I was lucky enough to listen to veteran teacher bloggers give advice about teaching, blogging, and how to balance both!  Like I said earlier it's so refreshing being surrounded by people who are as passionate as you are.

Before I go any further I've really got to give a major shout out to the two ladies that made this weekend possible!

Holly Ehle  from Mrs. Ehle's Kindergarten Connection and Brittany Banister from  Mrs. Banister's Kindergarten Kids really out did themselves.  Can you say awesome??!  How about breathtaking??!  These women really worked their tails off organizing, facilitating, and running such a fun weekend.

While I'm doing shout outs, I've got to say so many thanks to all the companies that were able to donate/sponsor gifts and door prizes for us teachers.  I actually was moved by how generous and thoughtful this was!

 Thank you to our amazing sponsors:
* TPT (TeachersPayTeachers.com)
* GoNoodle
* SDE (Staff Staff Development for Educators)
* Lakeshore Learning Materials
* Scentos (Love these markers!)
* Creative Teaching Press
* Sit Spots
* Scentsy - Ciera Harris
* Orgami Owl - Brenda Hart Frady and Corporate office
* Tallahassee Sunday
* Erin Condren (EVERYONE GOT A PLANNER!!!!!)

*Vera Bradley (EVERYONE GOT A BAG!!!!!)
* Schoolgirl Style
* ESGI
* Hue Animation Studio
* Claire Marie Designs
* Brain Pop
* Seat Sack
* Younique by Dana

Want some TEACHER SWAG of your own?  Keep reading!

Now you're probably thinking we had already had enough fun... but the meet up wasn't over yet!  

We all put on our pajamas, t-shirts, and slippers to have the most EPIC and memorable teacher sleepover ever.

It actually had it's own hashtag.
I'm pretty sure we blew up instagram with #gonoodleteacherdanceparty

Thanks TPTand GoNoodle for sponsoring our fun!!

There was pizza and brownies, crafts and games, and of course TPT and GoNoodle activities.  We chose our own Champ and rocked out to our students favorite songs and brain breaks.  If you haven't
Yours truly is officially famous and made an appearance fumbling the dance moves to my favorite GoNoodle Brainbreak Pop-see-ko by Kangaroo Krew.

 My absolute favorite part of the sleepover events?  Being silly and having fun with some of my most favorite people ever.  I mean... who doesn't like photobooth props?  Or posing with your blogging besties?

Check out my buddy Amy from Math, Science, and Social Studies Oh My!

Absolutely adored meeting these Texan teachers. Lisa and Amy from All Y'all Need

The epic night concluded on a slightly inspirational and encouraging note. Many of us didn't want this encouraging feeling and attitude to end so we anonymously received buddies to send notes and presents of encouragement to throughout the year.  

Amy from Math, Science, and Social Studies Oh My!, Brandy from Firstie Kidoodles, Nicole from All Things Apple in 2nd, Brenda from Primary Inspired, Jenny from Luckey Frogs Lilypad, ME, and of course Ciera from Adventures of Room 129

Sunday
Like all good things our Spring Teacher Meet Up had to come to an end.  But not before we all met up for brunch in the morning to exchange hugs, emails, and promises to come back again next year.  If you're ever questioning whether it's worth it to go to a blogger meet up... check out the rest of our stories on this linky.

   

     

rel='nofollow' href="http://new.inlinkz.com/luwpview.php?id=508317" title="click to view in an external page.">An InLinkz Link-up

   

And since you may not have been there...

We’re giving away THREE Swag Bags!

Three people are going to win their own Spring Teacher Blogger Swag Bags!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Look Back At 2014

As I sit here watching the clock tick down from 2014 bringing in 2015 I'm amazed at how much God has blessed me all of this past year.  I was going through all of my pictures from 2014 and couldn't stop smiling.  

In the past year I've gotten engaged, moved jobs, and become a TPT seller.  Talk about life changing experiences!  I've been SOOOO lucky to have spent this year engaged to Mr. Right.  Switching from one school to another, I took a major risk.... but it has paid me with so much happiness and support.  I went to my first Blogger Meet Up and reconfirmed why I became a teacher.  I now am working with an amazing teacher and wonderful friend, Ciera from Adventures of Room 129. 

September Currently

I'm linking up with Farley today for her monthly "Currently" linky.  It's been too long since I last posted and there is much to catch up on.

If you haven't already... check out Spotify!  It's like Pandora but can be downloaded onto the computer and comes with playlists created for just about every mood, taste, and genre.  My obsession is Afternoon Acoustic which has perfect music for before, during, and after school.

So the big news I've been waiting to share is... I'm now teaching at a new school!  It's an amazing school with great kids and great colleagues.  You know how I much I love my job?  Everyday I get to go in to work with one of my favorite blogger buddies and real life friend Mrs. Harris over at Adventures Of Room 129.  If you already follow her you know how great of a teacher she is, but working with her is a dream.

:)
"If you do what you love, you never work a day in your life."

Why am I thinking about my plans for next week?  You would too if you had a beautiful planner like the one I have from Erin Condren!  I LOVE THIS PLANNER.  If you can't tell by the picture I was so excited about getting my box I made Mr. R take a ton of pictures.

Unfortunately my want and need are warring in against one another.  

Diet Coke and shut eye don't exactly go hand in hand.  

I guess my drink will have to wait til tomorrow morning.

As for trips:

 Europe (Goal for the Honeymoon), 

Africa (Mission Trips), 

and Bahamas(because who doesn't want a tropical vacation)

If you haven't linked up with Farley yet, head on over and get started!!!  

CURRENTLY

Grr!!! Don't you hate it get annoyed when you have a post almost completely finished and ready to post when all of the sudden it disappears... yeah me too.  Let's try this again.

I love Farley  and her awesome linky party.  I know I'm super late in posting this...  but I have no internet in my new apartment.  So here's the run down.

Listening:  All of you T. Swift haters out there can put your haterade down right now.  I've been a loyal fan of her music since I was a high school senior.  And proud of it.  :)

Loving:  Sipping on my Skinny Iced White Chocolate Mocha is my summer version of my favorite winter drink.  And I can use the internet at Starbucks for as long as I want.

Thinking:  The exhausted woman in me is saying, "Go back home and curl up with a book and nap your Saturday away."  The proactive teacher in me is saying, "GET OFF YOUR REAR!"  Oh internal conflict. Thankfully this post is on my to-do list so both sides are appeased.

Wanting:  I just moved into my BRAND NEW Indy apartment.  I've got the furniture in for the most part.  Unfortunately it's still pretty barren and boring.  Pinterest has been my best friend for a little over 2 weeks.  Too bad my pocketbook is that of a teacher and not an interior designer. There will be future posts about the progress.  I promise.

Needing:  Longer weekends.  Need I say more? 

Tip/Hint:  Blogging is a thing that can be overwhelming especially as a beginner.  I have just come to the conclusion that if I write truthfully about what's happening then I will stop comparing myself to other teachers... I will still beg, borrow, but never steal ideas from other teachers. 

Alright! I'm off to do productive things today.  Wish me luck.

Budding Blog Link Up

http://iheartrecess.blogspot.com/2013/05/may-budding-blog-linky.html

Since I've got way less than 200 followers I decided to participate in another linky party.  Thanks
I {Heart} Recess for coming up with a way to help out little blogs like myself.  :)  I will totally be checking out other bloggers through this.


1. Why did you start blogging?
I actually started blogging for the purpose of keeping people updated on my experience teaching in rural Alaska.  When I graduated from University of Indianapolis, my amazing alma mater, I was looking for adventure and applied to a school district in southwest Alaska.  I was contacted all of June and the day before I took a mission trip to Mexico I got the call offering me my dream grades 3/4.  Because all of my friends and family wanted to keep in touch during my adventure here I started this little blog.  Now it's also blossomed into a way to network with other teachers and become inspired to be more creative in the classroom.

2. What is your favorite subject to teach and why?

My favorite subject to teach hands down is reading.  I LOVE to teach reading for all sorts of reasons.  Seeing the light bulb go off for emerging readers.  Gauging student growth.  Tying all sorts of other subjects with reading. Introducing students to new worlds such as Narnia, Wonderland, and District Twelve.  That you can escape everything going on and escape with a book.

“At one magical instant in your early childhood, the page of a book—that string of confused, alien ciphers—shivered into meaning. Words spoke to you, gave up their secrets; at that moment, whole universes opened. You became, irrevocably, a reader.”  -Alberto Manguel

3. Describe your teaching style.
That's absolutely the hardest question to ask me, because daily I think it changes.  As an indvidual, I'm a person that is not very structured, silly, and spontaneous... but in the classroom I'm the opposite.  I have specific times and routines that my kids have come to love and implement when I'm gone.  I love when my kids look at the clock and tell me it's time for AR reading time.  Or that it's time for us to do our science experiment.  How I usually instruct in my current position is using the "I Do, You Do, We Do" method, but I'm flexible with my kids needs. I personally enjoy being a facilitator rather than an instructor.  Finally, I make it a goal to have my class thrive on group work because I was blessed to have teachers and college professors that exposed me to classrooms that had a great sense of community.

4. Give three interesting facts about you.

• I know 3 different languages pretty well.  Yup'ik, sign language, and Spanish pretty conversationally fluently.  My ASL and Spanish are a little rusty after 3 years.
• I read magazines from the back to the front.  I started doing that when I was in high school because I got tired of flipping through a million ads.
• If I hadn't been a teacher I would have been a wedding/event planner.  I love finding ideas for baby showers, birthday parties, and weddings.  ESPECIALLY on Pinterest.  It's kinda my favorite thing to do other than teaching.

5. Do you have a TpT store?
I do have a TPT store, but I have yet to utlize it.  That's a goal I have for this summer and next year.  I will actually be creating my first freebie this weekend!  I'm super excited.  Stay tuned!

Five For Friday

Does anyone else feel like these last few weeks are going by SOOOO slowly?!  My goodness.  In the classroom time goes by at a snails pace, but once the bell rings it zooms by in a rocket.  Probably because I am still in the midst of packing and applying for jobs.  Yay for linking up.  Thanks again Doodle Bugs Teaching for connecting everyone.  Here's my week in about 5 sentences.  I'll start out with the bad and end with the good.

1. On Monday I got a phone call in the middle of the day, which is never a good sign, and was told to call my brother back when school let out.  That feeling something was wrong ate away at my stomach until 3:45.  I gave my big brother a call and my heart hit the floor with the news I got.  His beautiful and amazingly kind wife of only 3 years had been diagnosed with stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma.  The news didn't hit me until the next day after a particularly rough day at school.  I was a puddle of tears for about an hour, until I noticed how my brother and his wife are taking the news.  My brother has created a Facebook support page that has nearly 100 followers and is all about kicking this cancer's butt.  My sister-in-law is as amazing as ever with positive thoughts and posts about the news she's receiving almost immediately after she finds out.  So... instead of being sad and scared I've adopted my brother and sister-in-law's new motto of being WENDYSTRONG.
   
2. Mother's DayHas anyone else read Mama, Do You Love Me? to their class this week?  It was perfect for Mother's Day and relatable for m y 100% Yup'ik classroom.  The story is about a Native Alaskan Inuit mother and daughter who discuss the conditions of love as only a young child and mother can.  My class LOVED reading the story!  They were proud to see their culture represented.  They loved it so much that I decided to have them use art to represent themselves as the little girl/boy asking their own mothers!  Here's what we created.
3.  Moving/Packing
   Boy oh boy do I hate packing.  There's only 16 days left until I go home.  I changed my flights to an earlier flight, costing myself 200 dollars but saving myself 2 more days with everyone in Indiana.  On the downside that means I really have to get busy with my packing.  I absolutely abhor packing... Any suggestions on how to make it easier and/or more fun??
4.  Warm Weather
   I know I know I know, it's almost half way through May and it is warm everywhere... except in Alaska.  Recently we had such a warm up that I went to the village store and picked up ICE CREAM! YUMMY!
   

   

   The Atmau Teacher Family goes for ice cream!

   
   
   With the warm weather brings melting snow and ice, as well as the kids staying out to play later and later.  Yesterday I was sitting in my classroom minding my own business doing something productive (Shocking, I know!) and all the sudden I heard "SPLAT!!!" and giggling outside my window.  It was several of the little girls in my class throwing snowballs at me.  :) Definitely made me smile!
   
5. TPT Sales
   I recently posted on my FB that I will at some point end up selling my first and second born children to TPT because there is always such good stuff!!! You can never have too many good resources.  This summer one of my goals is to try to be better at creating my own stuff to sell and give-away on that awesome website!