Meet the Teacher Monday: Tis The Season

It's a good thing I don't treat my own children like I treat my blogs. I abandon my blogs (Yes, I write  other blogs, besides this one.) when the thrill of blogging fades away into the blog abandonment abyss. Many reasons exist for my disappearance(s):

• Life 
• Work
• Et cetera 
• Et cetera 
• Et cetera 

Like every other blogger I began with lofty blogging aspirations...to build a tribe of teacher followers and to dazzle them with my charm and quick wit. So far, I managed to dazzle 20 individuals. Ha! Truth be told, I blog for myself in order to maintain my sanity. Blogging serves as my therapy. 

Enough venting, on to 

Meet the Teacher Monday...Tis The Season!

MTTM Instructions:

1. Respond to the questions/prompts on your blog.
2. Return to my blog and link up below. 
3. Peruse the blogs of at least 2 other MTTM participants (if there are any participants...LOL!!)
4. And most important...HAVE FUN!!

1. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
With so many to choose from, I struggled with this question. Push come to shove, Miracle on 34th Street remains my all-time favorite, with Home Alone and Home Alone: Lost in New York coming in a close second...and third. 

2. What is your favorite Christmas song?

Ugh! Again...I struggled. I decided to break the rules and pick an entire album (Do people still say "album?"). My favorite holiday album/CD, hands down...A Charlie Brown Christmas by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. I listen to that CD from start to finish...year round. 

3. Real Tree or Fake Tree?
FAKE

4. White Lights or Colored Lights?
WHITE

5. What did you ask Santa for this Christmas?
A husband and winning lottery tickets. Which reminds me, I need to scratch off the tickets in my purse. Be right back...

I won nothing! So much for winning the lottery and not returning back to work after winter break. Better luck next time!

6. Favorite Holiday Drink & Food
Hot Scotch! Hot Cocoa and Butterscotch Schnapps. And my HOLIDAY favorite food...EVERYTHING! More specifically, my mother's homemade pecan pralines and lemon squares...made with fresh lemons from her lemon tree.

Cookie Assortment baked by my Mom

7. Favorite Holiday Tradition
Starbucks & Lights! Every year my boys and I start our tradition by visiting the local Starbucks for our favorite sugary holiday concoctions. After the first pit stop, we return to our favorite neighborhood to gawk at Christmas lights. This year, I plan to visit a new neighborhood, Prestonwood Forest.

8. How will you celebrate the holidays this year?
We usually keep the holidays low key. More than likely my boys and I will chillax in our pajamas ALL DAY, play board games and watch movies. Or, we may take a road trip to Louisiana to spend the holidays with my grandmother and other family members.

YOUR TURN! Remember to return to link up. Thanks for participating.

Meet the Teacher Monday: PUMP UP THE JAM!

 At the beginning of the summer I made big plans in regards to creating products for my TPT store and redesigning my classroom. Just call me a slacker. So far this summer, the only plans completed involved coordinating my binge TV watching schedule with my personal and professional obligations outside the comfy confines of my bedroom (...where the binge TV watching occurs.).

Despite being a lazy, slacker, I managed to focus on one goal in particular...BRINGING SEXY BACK! A few weeks ago I started buying healthy meals from a friend. Thanks to her healthy meals, my 5'2 (vertically challenged) frame is 12 lbs lighter! 

With the return of my healthy eating habits, next goal....INCORPORATING MORE ACTIVITY! I loath all physical activity. So, this goal proved to be an obstacle. To get back in the game, so to speak, I decided to try the Ease into 5K app along with various home workouts.  

So what does this have to do with Meet the Teacher Monday? I need new jams for my workout play list! So, for this weeks MTTM share some of your favorite work out jams with me! 

Meet the Teacher Monday: 
PUMP UP THE JAM!

MTTM instructions:

• Take the time to respond to the questions/prompts on your blog.
• Return to my blog and link up below.
• Check out the blogs of at least two other MTTM participants (...that's if anyone participates. Haha.)
• Last but not least, HAVE FUN!

Please list your favorite "MOTIVATING" workout tunes! 

• Young Folks by Peter, Bjorn, and John
• Bad Girl by Danity Kane
• The America's Next Top Model Finale Song
• Control by Vitamin String Quartet
• Mr. Brightside by The Killers
• Let's Go  by Calvin Harris
• The Girls by Calvin Harris
• Thinking About You Calvin Harris
• Feels So Close Calvin Harris
• Banquet by Bloc Party
• Bulls On Parade by Rage Against the Machine
• BOB by Outcast
• Hey Ya by Outcast
• Bailia Esta Cumbia Selena
• PDA by Interpol
• Boy's Don't Cry by The Cure
• Breathe by the Prodigy
• Homecoming by The Teenagers
• 24 Hours by Terry Poison
• Single Ladies by Beyonce
• Panic Switch by Silversun Pickups
• Womanizer by Britney Spears
• Just A Girl by No Doubt
• I Got Nerve by Hannah Montana (Don't Judge)
• Junior KIckstart by The Go! Team (hilarious music video)

As you can see, my musical taste varies! YOUR TURN! My play list needs some updating. 

As always, make the ordinary...extraordinary! And a HUGE THANKS to last week's MTTM participants! I am currently experiencing some technical difficulties and I was not able to comment on some of your blogs. 

I'M BACK! Meet the Teacher Monday: Summer Edition

I needed to take a brief hiatus due to life getting in the way. Hey, it happens to the best of us. Let's get started, shall we? 

First off, is it Monday? I know I am not the only teacher who loses track of time over the summer break. I vowed to myself that I would maintain some semblance of a "normal" (what's normal, right?) schedule so my nights and days would not get mixed up. Last year, my summer "schedule" resembled that of a newborn baby. I typically went to bed around 3 AM or 4 AM, and usually faced the new day around 12 noon. Not this summer! I am making every effort to be productive. If you call productive, slacking and watching Netflix or Amazon Prime all day. Ha ha...

Without further adieu, lets get this party started! Since its been a minute, let me remind everyone of the MTTM instructions:

• Take the time to respond to the questions/prompts on your blog.
• Return to my blog and link up below.
• Check out the blogs of at least two other MTTM participants (...that's if anyone participates. Haha.)
• O, last but not least, HAVE FUN!

Meet the Teacher Monday: Summer Edition

1. What's your summer teacher persona? 

• Slacker Teacher:catching up on every episode of everything you wanted to watch during the school year 
• Mommy-On-The-Go: consumed with your children's extracurricular activities
• Summer Fun Teacher:hanging with friends and traveling the world
• Overachiever Teacher:Making TPT products, proparing your classroom, you never really took a break

My summer persona is, you guessed it...Teacher Slacker. This summer I decided to work the first session of ESYS (Special Education Summer School). Let's just say I earned my money. And for the first time in my teaching career, a student bit me. After those challenging three weeks,  I deserve some much needed Netflix vegging sessions. 

2. It's a sunny day in July. Your schedule is wide open, so you decide to?

Since I am not that keen on being outdoors, I like to spend my time reading. #teachernerd Tomorrow, or one day this week, I plan to make a solo trip to the museum district. I have a hankering to visit the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, or the Holocaust Museum. 

3.What is your favorite summer thirst quencher?

At the beginning of the summer I developed an addiction to Sonic's Slushes. At least 3 days a week between the hours of 2 PM-4 PM, my car could be found parked at a local Sonic for happy hour. And with it being happy hour, of course I ordered a Route 44! I recognized my addiction, and stopped frequenting Sonic. I realized at that rate of consumption, by the end of the summer I would have developed diabeetus and tripled in size.

4. Where will you be soaking up the summer sun? Have you planned any vacations? 

Between my boy's busy dance schedule and recently moving, planning a vacation this summer proved challenging. However, I plan to take a couple of trips this fall. Perhaps Colorado, Seattle, and/or Connecticut. All dance related trips...of course.

5. Any summer reads, professional and personal?

I recently started reading The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (a gift from my Mother). After reading The Four Agreements, I plan to read the Legend trilogy by Marie Lu and then (maybe) Conversations With God by Neale Walsch.

6. What does your summer TV habits consist of?

I usually spend the summer catching up on EVERYTHING thing I missed during the school year.

Currently, I am catching up on Pretty Little Liars. My interest is starting to wan with show. Other shows I am getting brought up to speed on: The Walking Dead, Downton Abbey, and Teen Wolf (Garbage. I know, but the cast is nice to look at). And of course you cannot forget Netflix's summer treats, Orange Is the New Black and Hemlock Grove. 

7. Favorite Summer song of 2014?

Summer by Calvin Harris!!!!

That concludes another thrilling installment of MTTM! Your turn!!

Meet the Teacher Monday: Dr. Seuss Edition

This week's Meet the Teacher Monday will celebrate Dr. Seuss and Read Across America. For those of you who are new, answer this weeks questions on your blog, return to my blog to link up, and check out two or three of the blogs that have linked up. Enjoy!

Meet the Teacher Monday: Dr. Seuss Edition 

1. What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book? Why?
My favorite Dr. Seuss book is Green Eggs and Ham. Aside from having the opportunity to cook green eggs, this book is my favorite because it teaches you the value of being open to trying new things.

2. Do you have a favorite quote by Dr. Seuss
There are so many to choose from. I think ONE of my all time favorites is:

"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting so get on your way!"

3. There are many life lessons to be learned from the works of Dr. Seuss? What's your favorite life lesson to teach your students?
For me, Oh,The Places You Go! holds many life lessons: setting goals, looking towards the future, and self-motivation...just to name a few. 

4. Please share something special you plan to do with your class this week in honor of Dr. Seuss.
I found these chip clips in the Target dollar spot last December. My goal was to make a Christmas presents learning activity using the bows as a manipulative. That never happened. A helpful teacher on IG suggested that I use the bows for a Dr. Seuss activity, and so I did. 

March...In Like a Lion!

As I scrolled through my Bloglovin feed I noticed several people have already submitted March's CURRENTLY! I cannot believe it's March ALREADY! Well, once again I am linking up with Farley from Oh Boy Fourth Grade for this month's currently. 

Listening
I am listening to the Oscar's Live Backstage telecast. I am not a fan of award shows. I am however interested in what the stars are wearing. I consider myself a poor man's Carrie Bradshaw. I have champagne style on a beer budget. We teach for the outcome, not the income. That's what I have to keep telling myself. 

Loving
In just 5 short days SPRING BREAK will be here!!! The only thing I ask is that this Texas weather get its act together. Saturday the weather was in the 80s and today we are miserable and shivering in the 30s. If I had to choose one word to describe Texas weather,  one word come to mind, BIPOLAR.

Thinking
Today I learned that something or someone will always make me feel like I don't measure up. Instead of competing and comparing myself with others, I need to stop trying to keep up, and run my own race. I don't need anyone to confirm or validate me. I am here to fulfill my own destiny. In a nutshell, I need to be content with the gifts that God has given me.

Wanting
Saturday, I picked up the cutest pair of cowboy booties. I wanted a pair of "real" boots, but I am not willing to invest $300 in shoes I will only wear a few times a year. My next order of business for my rodeo outfit is to find a cute dress that I will pair with my jean jacket and some jazzy jewelry. Wish me luck;  I may meet my future cowboy husband at the Usher concert. Haa!

Needing
Each year teachers in the state of Texas have to rate their students limited in English proficiency. And each year we have to suffer through the training. And each year I procrastinate until the last minute. I should be completing the modules now instead of blogging. 

????????
Any guesses? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

As always, make the ordinary extraordinary. Don't forget to return for Meet the Teacher Monday which will be posted this afternoon.

Meet The Teacher Monday: Have You Ever?

Well, so much for blogging three times a week. Last week I blogged a whopping one time. My blog planner runneth over with blog post ideas, but alas...the time got away from me. Well actually, everyday last week I returned home from work and for the most part , I shut down. A few nights I went to sleep without eating dinner. One night I ate two Oreo cookie dough cookies for dinner. 

The last two weeks of grueling back breaking work, has taken its toll. Several times last week I questioned my vocational choice. For a while now, I have contemplated returning to school, but this time I will choose a major that will give me a return on my investment. 

I know...I know...Do I want some cheese to go with my whine? Enough whining, let's do this!

For those new to Meet the Teacher Monday, take the time to answers this week's questions on your blog, link up here on my blog, and check out the blogs of two or three other participants.

Meet The Teacher Monday: Have You Ever?

1. Have you ever been on TV? 
No, not really. But I will be in the future when my kids audition for So You Think You Can Dance. I will be that obnoxious mom screaming from the nose bleed section of the audition venue with the blinged out shirt with my kid's name on it...eye roll!

2. Have you ever been trapped in an elevator? No. But I can think of a few people who I would like to be trapped with if I ever did get trapped in an elevator.

3. Have you ever made anyone cry? Unfortunately, yes. According to my son I am intimidating. Whatever. I am all of 5'2. How can that be intimidating? Well, sometimes I can be a bit aggressive, and somewhat intimidating. I am at a stage in my life where I have very little patience for shenanigans and foolishness. I cannot deal with folks that continuously play the victim. Be a VICTOR, not a VICTIM!! MAN UP and take care of your business:-)

4.Have you ever walked into a window because it was just that clean? 
Yes. End of story. Haa Haa!

5. Have you ever fainted in public? No. 

6. Have you ever gone to a restaurant and ate, only to realize you didn't have any money? 
No. And I think I would be mortified if that happened. 

7. Have you ever gone to greet a family member or friend and then noticed it was someone else?
Yes. I did that this weekend. I silver truck pulled up and I thought it was one of my colleagues following us to the wedding after party. I was just a waving and a waving. The guys gets out of the truck and looked at me like I was insane. LOL!

YOUR TURN!  Remember, you can post any day of the week.

Meet the Teacher Monday: WHAT IF??

I'm getting a leg up on this week's Meet the Teacher Monday. Hopefully posting on Sunday, rather than Monday will give folks an opportunity to participate. Remember, my #1 rule, you can post ANY DAY of the week, not just Monday. I refer to my linky celebration as Meet the Teacher Monday for alliteration purposes. Posting on Monday is not a hard-fast rule; so, post when it's most convenient for you! 

Let's get this show on the road! For those of you who have previously participated, you know what to do. If you're new to the game follow these simple requests:

1. Answer this weeks questions on your blog
2. Return to my blog to link up
3. Check out  two or three of the blogs that have linked up. It may be only two or three blogs that link up...LOL!! :-D

Meet The Teacher Monday: WHAT IF?

1. If you could stop a bad habit that you have, what habit would you stop?

Tardiness. I suffer from Chronic Lateness Syndrome (google it). The struggle is real. 

2. If you woke up suddenly because your house was on fire (God forbid), what three things would you grab?

• My kids
• My purse 
• My iPhone

3. We live is a dystopian society, and the music police is in charge of all things music. If you were forced listen to one song for the rest of your life, what song would it be? You can only pick one. 

UGH...this is a hard questions to answer. I need to think about this one. I guess, it would be something by Explosions in the Sky, probably Remember Me As A Time Of Day.

4. If you saw someone with their dress tucked into their SPANX, would you tell them? 

YES! This actually happened to me. I may have been a little tipsy at a Christmas party. I went to the restroom, and in my haste to get back to the party, somehow my dress got tucked into my SPANX.  So yes...I  was literately assed out. HAA HAA! Thank GAWD someone told me before I walked back into the party.

5. If you were given a time machine and could go back in time to give your younger self a message, what would that message be?

Geesh, where do I start? I would tell my young self the following:

"Life is about choices, both good and bad. Sometimes, things don't work out, but how you respond to struggles and obstacles will determine your destiny.  See struggles as weeds. From time to time you will find weeds among the wheat. The weeds are put there to distract you right before the harvest. You didn't sew the weeds, and you don't have to reap them; so, do not be discouraged. Don't waste your time trying to pull up the weeds, just keep moving forward.  Replace thoughts of worry with thoughts of positivity. Never let anyone steal your joy." 

6. If your were able to have one supernatural power, what power would it be?

I think I would want the ability to stop time, then I would never ever be late again!! HAA HAA!

7. If you could have 25 hours a day (while everyone else still has 24), what would you do with the extra hour?

To be honest, an extra hour would not make a difference. It would be just one more hour for me to complain about not having enough hours in the day. I need less workdays and more weekend.

8. If you could live in one time period, what time period would you choose?

As a woman of color. I choose to live in my current time period. People of color have been persecuted since the dawn of time (i.e. slavery, Rosewood Massacre, Civil Rights Movement...need I go on?). Although racism still exist today, I think I prefer to deal with today's racial climate, rather than the racial strife of the past. IF racism DIDN'T EXIST, I would probably choose to live in the 1960s, simply for the fashion.

9.  If you could live anywhere in the world (cost is not a factor), where would you live? California, yes...Cali! My shallow reason for choosing the west coast revolves around my hair. With no humidity, my hair in Cali is amazing. It's like those runway models who walk down the runway and their hair is flowing in the breeze and there's no fan blowing. 

10. If you could have a grand party, and invite any 3 people in the world (dead or live, real or fictional), who would you invite?

1. Holly Golightly (From Breakfast at Tiffany's)
2. The ladies from Sex and the City (Yes, that's more than one.)
3. Oprah. She's going to bankroll this shindig and all of her contacts will be my guests! BOOYAH!

Your turn!

Meet the Teacher Monday: Love Is In The Air...

Hope you started your week off on the right foot. Before we get started, I wanted to reiterate my #1 rule for MTTM. Even though I call this linky partay MTTM, you can post any day of the week. I know how life gets in the way, so feel free to post anytime. 

So, in honor of Valentine's Day (eye roll), I decided to dedicate this week's MTTM to love and relationships (eye roll). If you've played along before you know the rules. If you're new on the scene here's the rundown: 

• Answer the questions on your blog
• Return to my blog to link up
• Visit and leave a meaningful comment on at least two or three blogs

Meet the Teacher Monday: Love Is In The Air 

1. What is your relationship status? Are you satisfied with your current status?

Single. I went on crash diet at the beginning of the year and lost 175 lbs. in one day. Haa Haa. I call it the "Trina G. Kick 'Em To The Curb Diet." At the beginning of the year, I discarded all things that weren't working. I finally came to the realization that I wasted an insurmountable amount of time in a  monotonous relationship going nowhere. 

Am I satisfied with my current status? Not really. Like they say on Jersey Shore, "What're you gonna do, huh?" I thought online dating was a viable option. But after I received several illiterate, unintelligible messages I thought to myself, "There has got to be a better way." Since online dating failed to yield results, I am now leaning towards joining Lakewood Church's Singles program. The program is geared toward encouraging participants to embrace their "singleness." 

2. Would you date or marry someone with kids? Or, did you marry someone with kids?

No. I would not date someone with YOUNG children (ages 15 and under). You're probably thinking, "How can you say no when you have kids yourself?" I can say no because my boys are 16 and 20. It's a wrap. I'm done. I am not interested in starting over. And to be honest, I no longer have the energy to invest in helping someone raise small children. I like my autonomy; I enjoy being able to come and go as I please without having to procure a sitter. 

3.  Do you prefer older or younger men/women?

You know what, young or old...some, not all men, are full of crap. Age is only a number. 

4. If you could choose to date or marry  one character on film or TV, who would you date?

Haa Haa...JAKE RYAN!! From Sixteen Candles. I want to eat birthday cake on top of my table too!

Seriously, I think I would marry Eric Taylor from Friday Night Lights. The level of support he gives his wife is an endearing characteristic I hope my future husband possesses. 

5. How do you feel about PDA (Public Display of Affection)? Ugh...GET A ROOM! 

6. What is a your biggest turn-on?

(Note to self...get your mind out of the gutter before you answer this) Ummm...my biggest turn on is humor. I love to laugh until I can't breathe or until tears run down my leg...LOL. 

7. What is your biggest turn off?

Hairiness of Sasquatch proportions and stinky feet

8. Would you date or marry someone shorter than you?

Since I am vertically challenged, no one is shorter than me. 

9. Have you ever tried online dating? Your thoughts? 
Yes, I have begrudgingly delved into the seedy world of online dating. My thoughts...eye roll. There seems to be a discrepancy in regards to what "just a few pounds" means. I am no Sports Illustrated model, but at least I am honest on my profile. If you have a dunlap stomach, meaning if your stomach dun-lapped over your pants, then that is NOT "just a few pounds." 

10. What is your dream date night?
A car picks me up and drops me off at the airport to fly to an undisclosed destination. Upon arrival, I discover that the undisclosed destination is Milan. My date whisks me away to dinner to one of Milan's hottest spots and then we attend a runway show during fashion week. After the show we partake in a shopping spree, spending his money! What? A girl can dream. In reality, my dream date entails a day in the museum district and maybe a picnic lunch (so cliche). In addition to the museum, I love the drive in. My dream drive in date would include stuffing our faces with junk food and fogging up with windows;-)

Your turn!! Have FUN!

Currently...February

I am linking up with Farley from Oh' Boy Fourth Grade for February's Currently. 

Listening...
I adore NPR News Radio. I downloaded the app to my phone so I can listen to my favorites shows on Saturday: The Moth Radio Hour, Snap Judgment, All Things Considered, This American Life, Radio Lab and Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! In honor of Valentine's Day, this week's episode of Sound Opinion focused on Musical Couples: Sonny & Cher, Biggie & Faith Evans, ABBA, and Erykah Badu & Common, just to name a few.  Basically, Sound Opinions serves as a platform for two music aficionados to engage in music criticism & conversation of all genres. It's worth checking out.

Loving...
Well, I finished the Divergent Trilogy. I promise not to spoil it for you, so I will shut my trap. I wanted to read the trilogy before the release of the movies. I have this weird thing about reading the book before I see the movie. I feel if I see the movie first, I ruin the opportunity for reading the book...even though the movie and the book are sometimes different.

Thinking...
Last night, I experienced my first bachelorette party complete with party bus and stripper pole, a dream come true:-)This is the ensemble I rocked. I found both the skirt and sweater at Forever 21, or as I refer to it, Forever Hoochie or Forever Ratchet...LOL.

Wanting...

After last week I need several STRONG cocktails. Let's just say, last week made me question my decision to become a teacher. A few times I felt a tinge of regret about now pursuing a career in Speech Pathology. Sometimes I wish I would have went to school and majored in a career that would have yielded a return on my educational investment. But as we all know, you don't become a teacher to make money...you marry rich. HA!

Needing...

I am needing Spring Break to get here: quick, fast, and in a hurry. Last week I earned it. Speaking of breaks, I just heard that our district plans to make up those two ridiculous ice days on Good Friday and our scheduled Memorial Day holiday. So looking forward to that.<---sarcasm. 

2 Truths and a Fib...

Truth #1: Yes, folks. The first time my kids attended the Monsters of Hip Hop dance convention I entered the parent battle. I heard the winner received a scholarship for their kids to attend another conference. A free $200 scholarship, I'm in. Long story short, I made a complete ass out of myself, but I won that scholarship. I beat out the other moms and dads in the Houston area for the title. I lost the following year to a mom who felt it was appropriate to grind on another dancer's dad. I may have lost my title, but I still had my dignity and self-respect. 

Truth #2: You So You Think You Can Dance fans will appreciate this. My boys participated in a flash mob to promote the movie Step Up 4. On the day of the flash mob, Travis Wall flew in and worked with the dancers. That is an awesome addition to their resumes. My boys as well as the other dancers were even on the local news. How cool is that!?

My boys have also met Napoleon and Tabitha of NAPPYTABS.

Fib #1: I loathe Valentine's Day. This fabricated, over-commercialized "holiday" serves as a platform to make single folks feel like losers, and for business to make more money selling crap like plush stuffed animals encased in balloons. And don't me started on the the cheap, tacky gifts. For a humorous story about one of many useless Valentine's gifts I have received, check out one of my old post titled, Would You Give A Crackhead Crack?

Valentine FREEBIE!

Jesus, Mary and Joseph...creating my Sweet Treats TPT math station proved to be a daunting task. As a newbie TPT product creator, I sit for hours struggling with the simplest tasks. I spend a majority of my time sitting in front of the computer screen with my head in my hand thinking, "There has got to be an easier way." And there usually is. You just have to know the right person to ask for help. There are so many ins and outs to creating TPT merchandise. There is a bright side to my recent harrowing TPT experience, I learned two new techniques...which I plan to share on Techie Tuesday. 

Enough "talking." It's been a rough week. Grab this FREEBIE for a limited time only. This sweet treat contains the following

• 1 I CAN card
• 10 cupcake tops and bottoms
• 1 printable practice sheet

I plan to add 2 more stations to this product. Please leave feedback on TPT.  THANKS! Here's a preview:

Click HERE for FREEBIE!

As always, make the ordinary EXTRAordinary!

Meet The Teacher Monday: FAST FIVE!

Yikes! Monday crept up on me again. I intended to publish my MTTM post last night, but the time just got away from me this weekend. Saturday night I attended a going away party for a colleague. She is moving to China with her husband. What an exciting adventure ahead; I wish them nothing but the best in their new endeavors!!!

So, let's get to it. If you have taken part in MTTM, you know the drill. Newbies: take the time to answer the questions below on your blog, link up, and then visit at least two to three other blogs that have linked up. 

 Meet the Teacher Monday: FAST FIVE!

1. List five things you always keep in your purse

• Blood Pressure Meds
• "Old Lady" Readers-As I turned 40 last year, I came to a startling realization...I need glasses. I refuse to make an appointment at the optometrist because then I would have to actually admit that... I'm old. 
• iPhone Cord
• Feminine Products
• My Employee ID Badge...TEACHER DISCOUNTS!!

2. List five things you love about yourself

• My creativity
• My ability to make people laugh
• My candor 
• My tenacity
• My warlocks (my knockers)

3. List 5 things you do to keep yourself entertained 

• Read
• Procrastinate by wasting time on social media sites 
• Blog
• Write
• Learn new ways to use technology (Stay tuned for details about "Techie Tuesday")

4. List five things that attract you to the opposite sex (or same sex...I don't judge or discriminate.)

• Sense of humor
• Confidence
• Spontaneity
• Ability to converse
• Ability to be silly sometimes and enjoy the moment

5. List five things you want to accomplish in 2014

• Visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park
• Take a "parent/beginners" hip hop dance class 
• Take a writing class
• Write my dating advice book. I am basically going to write down everything I did/do and tell people to do the opposite. 
• Lose the 20+ lbs. I gained from the original 57 lbs. I lost

Your turn! Link up below! As always, make the ordinary extraordinary. 

Do you want fries with that?

While posting a photo on Instagtam (IG), a thought occurred to me...and thus began another episode of Internal Dialogue Theater.  So I thought to myself...

Self: "Why am I always posting pictures of MY students engaged in activities created by OTHER TPT sellers?" (Yes, I talk to myself, and I answer back on occasion.)

Response to Self (I promise, I am not crazy): Yeah Trina, why? Your creativity knows no bounds. What about all the goodies you purchased from the Target Dollar Spot last May?

Self: Oooooo...yeah!Where is that crap?   

END SCENE

(And so ends another episode of Internal Dialogue Theater...LOL @ myself) 

So, off to my shelf I went in search of the red bucket where I dump all of my Target Dollar Spot finds. As I rummaged through my Dollar Spot repository, I ran across these french fry containers. 

Last week while attending  the most productive staff development day EVER, I created the french fries you see pictured below. A few days later, the idea for the programmed ketchup bottles popped into my brain.

I found the ketchup bottles on the My Cute Graphic website. My Cute Graphics is a financially challenged teacher's best friend. 

I created this station to assist my students with their math goals and objectives. Some of my lower level students struggle with numeracy concepts such as counting and one-to-one correspondence.  

I wholeheartedly appreciate the ideas and the activities I find on Pinterest and Instagram, but I really need to buckle down and start creating my own products. Honestly, I would prefer to post pics and blog posts of my students engaged in activities, I masterminded. But...like everything else, these things take time.

As I sit here with heap of ideas swimming around in my head, I find it hard to decide on my next project. But...in the meantime, I am in the process of completing my Roll-A-Sandwich Dice Addition math station. Here's a Sneak Peek:

Can you believe those are coasters? Those sandwich fixings look real...lick the screen real...right? Guess where I found them. That's right, the Target Dollar Spot! 

Stay tuned for Meet the Teacher Monday. This time, I promise to post earlier...probably late Sunday night. 

By the way, what are your Super Bowl plans? Me...nada. Until next time, make the ordinary extraordinary.

Meet the Teacher Monday: The Business of Blogging

It's that time again!! First let me start by stating, my NUMBER #1 rule for MTTM...YOU CAN POST AT ANYTIME: MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY...ANYTIME!
With that being said, let's get started. Real quick, here are the rules again:

• Answer this week's questions on your blog
• Link up on my blog
• Read and comment on at least two blogs that have linked up!

Meet the Teacher Monday: The Business of Blogging 

1. How long have you been a blogger? I have been blogging since 2009.

2. Do you have any blogs other than your teacher/education blog?Yes, I have another blog titled, "Ah Me So Hongry!" I started that blog as a means of free therapy to share my weight loss trials and tribulations. I still blog on that blog from time to time, but for the most part I pretty much abandoned Me So Hongry. Here are some of my favorite posts: 

• I Split My Pants
• HATER-AID #1 Drink of Haters 
• Things I Learned From A One-Legged Stripper

3. What niche is your blog in? Education, but my other blog is a weight loss blog.

4. Do you have plans to start any other blogs? Yes, I plan to start what I call my "mean girl" blog titled, "You Were Thinking It, But I Said It." I need this blog so I can vent about things that make me want to choke people irritate me.  I already have my first post planned, "8 Things You Should Never Say to Single People."

5. What do you enjoy most about blogging? I enjoy expressing my self through writing. On occasion, other bloggers have complimented by writing style. I also enjoy the opportunities that blogging has to offer: connecting with bloggers, reviewing products, and inspiring others.

6.  What do you enjoy least about blogging? Yes, I blog for myself, but followers and feedback are every blogger's dream. It takes time to build a following and time is a luxury that some of us can't afford. 

7.  How often do you blog? Sadly, I blog once or twice a week. I have my blog posts planned out. The problem is... trying to find time to compose my posts. My goal is to blog at least 3 times of week. As you can see, that is not the case. This week I vow to make a concerted effort to blog more.

8.  If you could meet anyone from the blogosphere, who would it be? That's a tough one. I am new to the teacher blog scene so I have not really had much time to explore and connect. However, Mr. Bradley from @bradleys_learning_paradise and I have discussed a possible Houston Area Teacher/Blogger Meet-Up. From the weight loss blogosphere, I would love to meet Bitch Cakes.

9. Are there any hot-button issues you will not discuss on your blog? In regards to both of my blogs, I prefer to stay away from politics and child rearing. I have learned that people can get downright ignorant and nasty. It's best to stay away from hot-button topics. On my weight loss blog, I keep my trap shut about weight loss surgery. With my new blog...anything goes!

10.  Name one thing (or more) that you would like to accomplish with your blog? I want my blog to be more than just posts about activities my students complete in class. Take for instance my previous post, The Three Most Annoying People You'll Meet At A Staff Development Meeting, I enjoy writing humorous pieces of that nature. I  wouldn't mind being published in the Huffington Post. In my opinion, my  brand of humor fits in with some of the snarky Huffington articles I have read. 

You're up! Answer the questions and then LINK UP! Can't wait to read about your blog aspirations.