11 in 11 Linky Party!

Woohoo I got invited to a party! (I'm going to assume I'm one of the Jennifers that Kristin mentioned - makes me feel happy :) Kristin over at A Teeny Tiny Teacher and Hadar from Miss Kindergarten are having a linky party about all things 2011, make sure to join up!




11. Favorite movie you watched - Oh wow, looks like this linky party is designed to show how lame I am. I don't watch many adult movies I'm afraid! I'm going to have to go with the final Harry Potter movie - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2. It was great - but bittersweet too knowing that it was the last one! I am really hoping that J.K. Rowling comes out with another book based on the wizarding world!

10. Favorite TV series - I am a total GLEEK! I love watching Glee, listening to the cds in my car (singing along at the top of my lungs much to my children's chagrin!) and talking about it to my teaching buddies. I knew I was going to love my btb (best teaching bud) when she pulled up Glee's version of "Hey Soul Sister" on her Smartboard after school so we could have a dance party! And, the reality show "The Glee Project" really made my summer - what could be better than getting to vote on new characters for your favorite show?!

9. Favorite restaurant: Hmmm, this is a tough one! I think I'm going to have to go with Atlanta Bread Company simply because of their Kid's Nights on Tuesdays! You  can't beat 99 cent kids meals plus I love their soups - perfect on a chilly night! Not to mention it's on my way home so when we have extra-curricular events after school we can stop for a healthyish meal without me having to cook!

8. Favorite new thing you tried: Blogging! I love it! So glad I spent my summer wisely pouring over teaching blogs and developing my own. It is my outlet and my inspiration all rolled into one! I know some of you are going to say that I copied Kristin's answer on this one - well, yeah, I did. The only other new thing I tried in 2011 was teaching 1st grade and let me tell you - I love my firsties, but I can't wait to get back to kindergarten!

7. Favorite gift you received: My fleece electric blanket. Yep, that's right,I am now the proud owner of an electric blanket and let me tell you, it is heaven! I have chronically cold feet, and I like our household temperature to be at least 4 degrees warmer than the hottest everyone else in my house can stand. So my darling husband got me an electric blanket to keep me toasty. It is soft and warm and so snugglable that I fall asleep in minutes. I'd post a picture but you really don't want to see me with all the drool and bedhead.

6. Favorite thing you pinned: My crate seats! So easy and fun and I get compliments on them all the time!

5. Favorite blog post: I'm going to have to skip this one. I know my posts aren't all that, they're just fun for me :)

4. Favorite accomplishment: I won 1st place in the Playmobil Teacher grant contest and my lesson plan is displayed on the website! I got a $500 prize and a ton of Playmobil sets for my classroom! Click here to see it - I was so psyched to win this!

3. Favorite picture: Oh my - I hope I'm not supposed to be in it, because that's just not happening! I'm going to have to go with this one I made on picnik.com, I love this quote and the picture is awesome!


2. Favorite memory: On April 23rd our house burned. We had been out at an Easter egg hunt with the kids and had ignored all our cell phone calls, so when we pulled up to the house to see fire trucks outside and firemen coming out the door it was a total shock. My first thought was for our pets and I cannot tell you how relieved and blessed I felt when I was told that all of them made it out alright - even the bunny was saved by a fireman who hauled his whole cage outside! I will never forget running up to a fireman and asking him if my dog was okay. She was my baby and I nearly cried just hearing that she was safe in the backyard.  Unfortunately Panzer was diagnosed with bone cancer during the summer but I am grateful that her last moments were with me in the vet's office rather than alone in a smoke-filled house.

1. Goal for 2012:  Hmm, how about just getting through to May? Too vague? Okay, I am desperately hoping that all of my kiddos leave my class able to read - I don't know how 1st and 2nd grade teachers do it - you guys all act so blase and inside I'm freaking out because I have to teach these kiddos to read! If I screw this up there's a lifetime of consequences for these kids! Talk about pressure! That's why I need to go back to kindergarten - I can give them a solid foundation without all the stress of 1st grade standards! So I'm really stepping up my game for the New Year - dipthongs and digraphs here I come! Man, it would be so much easier if I had a reading series or something!

Whew! Finished! I had to stop to run to the bank and Staples and have lunch with my hubby, seems like I've been writing this post all day! Don't forget to head over to the party to link up!

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh, I am gonna have to get one of those blankets! I have cold feet, too! The hubb hates it! lol
Jennifer
First Grade Blue SKies

Kristin said...

WOWIE! This was a doozy.
First, thanks for linking up.
Second, holy cow, you're house burned????? Did you rebuild? Buy new? What in the world? How did it happen? Is there a post about this so I can read all about it? So glad your pets were okay!!!!!! But so sad to hear about Panzer and all I can say is that I understand and I'm sending you a big virtual hug.
I love that picture with the quote. Beautiful.
And you're my new favorite person because you're saying how hard first grade is to teach and that makes my day. And I wish I did NOT have a curriculum but that's because I've been teaching first for 15 years. I get why you might need one. :)
A Teeny Tiny Teacher

Kelley Cirrito said...

I love your crate seats! I want to make some for my room!

Jennifer K. said...

@Kristin
Thanks Kristin!
Nope, no post about the house burning - it was before I started blogging. It was started by our washing machine cord - and the crazy thing was that the washing machine wasn't even on when we left the house! It just started sparking and caught the wood paneling on fire. The whole back of our house burned (laundry room, kitchen and parts of the living room) and it's going to take major work to redo it - only the insurance company is dragging their feet - not over the claim, but just because the adjustor is incompetent and lives in Montana while we're in Oklahoma - talk about hard to get a hold of! We're selling it as soon as it's fixed because I don't want the memories that go with the whole ordeal any more!

I got switched to 1st from kindergarten the day before school started and I feel like I've been running uphill ever since! Without a curriculum to guide me I'm just putting out fires for now - jumping in to plug gaps as I see them! I think it takes a lot of confidence to be a 1st grade teacher and that's something I don't have yet! I keep telling my principal she needs to move me back to kinder next year - I have to sya that I'm an "okay" 1st grade teacher but I'm an awesome kinder teacher (I know, I shouldn't brag!) we should all teach where our strength is, right?

Thanks for hosting the linky and the kind comments :)

Jennifer @ Herding Kats In Kindergarten

Cupcake said...

Oh my gosh, I'm so glad your pets are okay!! That's so scary :(

A Cupcake for the Teacher

Unknown said...

Hey Jennifer!
I have really enjoyed reading your posts this year. I want you to come back to Kindergarten too so we can share some great ideas in our grade level =)
I am right there with you on the Glee. LOVE LOVE LOVE! They are re-airing "Grilled Cheesus" right now and HA it is so hilarious!
I hope you have an amazing New Year and yes..surviving to May is a GREAT goal!

Laura
Kinder Kraziness

Learning with Mrs. Parker said...

Wow! You have had a wild 2011! I recommend using HeidiSongs to teach those blends. I used last year when I taught first. My advise to you is to go for it! You've taught k....and survived. You'll teach those kids to read! :)

Holly said...

Just sending you big gigantic hugs because I think YOU ROCK!!!!!!

Holly
Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade

Ms. Chrissy B said...

I am so sorry to hear about your house! I'm glad you told Kristen more about it because I had the same questions with the same number of question marks.

Also love Harry Potter :)
New follower!

Heather's Heart said...

Jennifer,

I just had tears about your Panzer but am happy he did not suffer in the fire. I love the quote with the snowflake. Thank you for all of the encouraging and uplifting words you leave on my blog! You blog is so cute and the title always makes me giggle!

Heather
Heather's Heart

Classroom Confetti said...

Oh the story about your house and your pets just had me in tears! I'm so glad everyone was okay, and I'm so sorry about your sweet Panzer. You have had quite the year!

On a much lighter note, thank you for sharing your fears about helping kids learn to read. It is the biggest gift you can give them and like you said, I'm so worried that I won't be able to do it effectively! I'm sure you're doing a great job because you care so much! I so appreciate you being open and sharing that, it's so comforting to know there are others out there that think like me!

Also, your crate seats are AWESOME!

Classroom Confetti

Susan Case said...

I'm following your blog and visiting from the K Expo Linky Party. Hope you can visit mine. Love your blog! I liked the Harry Potter movie too. Some were darker than others but they got children to read! So sorry about your house! Love your carton seats! Great idea!

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