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!