Finally Friday Feb. 28

One more week until spring break. (Yes, we have it before it's really spring. Texas for you.)
Two more weeks until bookfair. But I won't think about that yet. ;)


Things that are true!



The pic is kind of annoying (sometimes, Pinterest, it is very awkward to look at the Fitness boards) but the thought expressed? So true. Major struggle lately.



Hard to do, though, right?



This would have looked cool in my living room or study. Too bad I can't find it on sale anywhere. Maybe it sold out.



Check out the last link at this pin. I think it might be my favorite.

Seuss Doors Part 1

Shall I brag on our teachers for a bit? A spur of the moment "Let's have a door decorating contest" (I've never done that before ... PTA has for Red Ribbon Week but I haven't) has resulted in some great work! Here's part 1 that I have pics of already. They're not super professionally cropped and the OCD part of me is cringing at it. But aren't the doors fun? Part 2 next week. Some classes are still working on them.

The Sale

starts tomorrow. Hmmmm. I don't really have a lot to say about it this time. I get excited about ideas ... and then things happen and I don't get to use them. That gets expensive! Like I love all of Smart Chick's STEM challenges but have yet to get to use the set I have. Would be silly to get more. But wouldn't it be fun? The Minecraft set? And picture book monsters under bridges? And mythology? And the winter games ones? Or just more of the just "regular" ones?

I do want to get Carolyn's Estimation Stations.

They look fun and anything math I can promote that I actually understand (had a teacher ask me to do something on volume ... and I had to say no :( cause I read a blog post about a volume activity with Duplos and flipped out at all the vocab) is a WIN.

I gush on too much about clip art. I knew I had a problem when I realized I forgot to ever put out my own Valentine's signs. I love to make them but then got behind and I didn't remember to get them out! My new favorite artist is Kari Bolt, though I still love Creative Clips and Melonheadz and Digital Bake Shop and Pink Cat Studios.

Is there anything you are thinking about getting?

On a side note I do have some talented teachers who have made some very cute Seuss doors for our contest next week. When I get pics of all of them I'll post. And an order from Garrett Books came today. Ugh on snakes but the kids will love them. Lots of Pebble Plus on lots of different topics. Some ghost books. Kylie Jean. Jake Maddox. Some minerals. Book delivery days are like Christmas! The boxes were waiting for me when I came back from making myself totally ridiculous presenting about our e-resources to our Spanish-speaking parents. They were nice but I couldn't remember any of the tech vocab. :/

Transforming Space

Now if you're here because you thought I had the answer? A How To post? Nope. Sorry. I'm the one asking the question ... anyone got some ideas? I'm supposed to be writing a Transformation Plan but since this is the only space I've ever worked in it's hard to see the forest for the trees, you know?

And you already know how I feel about the lack of walls. I whine about it a lot. It's the second only to genes reason I have to color gray hairs.

This is our story area. Yes, I know I need to weed the picture books! The arrow is pointing to the cafeteria exit. It's ... eight feet from that corner. Constantly trying to get that door closed. And the entire wall of the cafeteria on that side? Glass. :P
Remember this pic? Do you think it's nuts to get rid of all those shelves? I will say I'm having some fun weeding. Seriously thought I'd kept up with it fairly well. NOPE! I should stop and take pics of more of the best ones. How did I leave these things on the shelf for so long?

Anyway. Now we move on.

Here's a view from the corner of the circ desk closest to the story area. Like our clutter on the circ desk? I'm trying. It's hard. :/

This is the view of the library from the office door. Literally. Here. Let's turn around.

Here I am standing on the hawk's wing looking to my right. The biographies are on the outside of the shelf you can see on the other side of the computers. Classes always sit in the hallway along the biographies and wait for the restroom (that is on the other side of the wall). These are thin client computers. It's nice to have so many but sometimes I would prefer fewer that do not have the limitations of a thin client. Time will tell. We've only had these a few months.

And here's my desk. Officially hanging my head in shame. Had a kiddo come back from break once saying "I showed my dad the picture of us that we took right here and he said 'Your librarian has a messy desk.'" I KNOW.

And this is the view from the circ desk. Little people walking by. Can't always see them. Can always here them, even when they're trying so hard to be quiet. Little feet. The older ones? They don't always try as hard.

#IMWAYR Feb. 24

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now… who knows, you might discover that next “must read” book!

Our Kid Lit to YA version is hosted by Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers.
GREAT IDEA! Check out all of the What Are You Reading? participants for title ideas.



So one middle grade, one YA, and two adult. Not my usual odds but hey. The two adult books were not bad but not my favorites ever, either. See Goodreads for specifics.
Wake Up Missing gave a real sense of setting which I think the kids will like.

I have S. (JJ Abrams ... thoughts?) and Lost in Babylon checked out. A bunch of other books on hold. WHY do I do that when I have ARCs to read? Spring break is in 11 days!
And bookfair is in 20. :P

Finally Friday Feb. 21

If you're reading in Feedly or Bloglovin you might need to click through to the regular site. Embedded stuff doesn't always come through properly.


Kind of funny. Just happened upon this the day before our district announced that they would not be purchasing the part that would make our new laptops compatible with closed circuit tv. And that they did not foresee us having the bandwidth for everyone to pre-record and watch them via the network. Hmmmmm. Well. One thing to take off of the "to do" list, at least.
Angie O's pin on Pinterest.


Trying to think this through. Our Genius Hour start is ... kind of slow. Wednesday was the first time I really saw a spark of "Oh! I picked this topic and am going to do some research on my own time." Well. Second time. First time was when a girl brought in a diorama she'd made about horses. No facts behind it but she was so proud. I want her to keep feeling proud!



Do you have a favorite method for creating quote images? I've used Ribbit and Share as Image and the Keep Calm-o-matic. Recite looks interesting.



Love this! Just not quite enough hours in the day.



More family coming this evening. Two weekends ago it was the CO crowd. This time it's the (for now Dallas) bunch.

In Progress

After a day where not very much went right I was sent this ...




Isn't it fabulous? I take no credit ... it's my talented Mom who can sew. Not me. Another pic when it's done!

Now. To recharge for tomorrow where I will remember all the good things that happen at school instead of getting weighed down by everything that doesn't work. I'm looking at you, technology. :X And test-heavy "nothing else matters" environment. :X

Cause Pigeon is here. And Ninja Pigs (more pics will be added to that post ... the kids were SO excited to hear that the author liked them!) are here. And Ivan. And Wonder. And the kids who love them.

Have a great evening!

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