meet the teacher monday: Holiday Film Faves

I know what you're thinking...

"WEEKLY LINKY! Ain't nobody got time for that!" With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, let's keep this week's Meet the Teacher MONDAY, short and sweet. From Halloween to New Year's Eve some of my favorite movie and TV titles air. As if anyone really cares...LOL (*side-eye*)...I drafted a short list of my HOLIDAY FAVES.

Your turn. What holiday faves are a must watch for you?

If you are new to Meet the Teacher Monday, here's the skinny:

MEET THE TEACHER MONDAY is a weekly linky celebration, dedicated to making and culminating friendships among our tribe of fellow teachers. Just follow these simple guidelines:-)

• Snag the MTTM graphic. On your blog, please respond to this week's questions or prompt provided.
• Return to my blog and link your post.
• Visit one or two bloggers ahead of you in the linky, and leave a comment in response to their Meet the Teacher Monday post.
• Visit one or two bloggers after you in the linky line-up and leave a comment as well.
• And because it's so hard to find time to blog, feel free to post any day of the week, not just Monday.

DON'T FORGET TO RETURN TO MY BLOG TO LINK UP.

December Sneaked Up on Me!

Nothing screams the beginning of a new month like posting your monthly CURRENTLY. Once again I am linking up with Oh'  Boy Fourth Grade for the December CURRENTLY. 

Listening

As I began completing my December CURRENTLY, a notification to watch Brooke Brown on Periscope popped. I found the scope beneficial, and I scribbled down a few notes to improve my literacy centers. Before Brooke's scope, I was listening to the Vince Guaraldi Trio (Holiday) Radio on Pandora. 

Loving

Truth be told, I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year...the most wonderful time of the year. I love the sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday season. You can read all about my holiday faves here.  Although this time of year makes my heart sing, there's nothing like the holidays to reinforce the fact...I'M STILL SINGLE at 42. And according to the society, I have failed in life. But one of the benefits of being single during the holidays, I don't have to share my wine. 

Thinking 

So many TPT ideas trapped in my brain. I need 28 hours in the day. The extra four will be set aside for creating...or napping.

Wanting

Self Explanatory.

Needing

I need to PRIORITIZE. I wasted too much time during my Thanksgiving break week. I intended to complete TPT products, blog, etc. Instead I napped, shopped, and socialized. I squeezed in some time for a couple of blog posts, but I wanted to write several blog posts, in order to schedule posts throughout the week.  Although I failed to meet my blogging quota, I am proud of a motivational post I wrote about strippers. 

I managed to start a few TPT products, but I wanted to finish the products before the TPT sale. Didn't happen.

Real or Faux

Faux. I am too lazy to deal with the rigmarole that's accompanied with a real tree. Currently my tree is in a box and that's probably where it will stay. This meme captures my feelings about a Christmas tree this year...

meet the teacher monday: Sense and Sensibility

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

The winter holiday season is by far my favorite time of year. My senses come alive as the smells, sights, and sounds unique to the holidays make their long awaited debut.

My ears are filled sounds of the musical styling of the Vince Guaraldi Trio's, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and silky smooth crooners like Nat King Cole and the Rat Pack. 

My eyes feast on twinkling lights sparkling along city streets. Dazzling displays of bright red, sliver and gold litter the landscape as far as the eye can see.

And the smells...THE SMELLS. The aroma of fresh baked cookies and gingerbread lattes penetrate the air. I said this before and I will say it again, by the end of the holiday season I will have either a fat (fatter) ass or (*in my Wilfred Brimley voice*)diabeetus. 

The sounds, sights, and smells are what make the holiday merry and bright!

Here are a few of my holiday faves that stimulate my senses...

What are your favorite holiday sounds? Sights? Smells?

For those new to Meet The Teacher Monday, here's the scoop:


MEET THE TEACHER MONDAY is a weekly linky celebration, dedicated to making and culminating friendships among our tribe of fellow teachers. Just follow these simple guidelines:-)

• Snag the MTTM graphic. On your blog, please respond to this week's questions or prompt provided.
• Return to my blog and link your post.
• Visit one or two bloggers ahead of you in the linky, and leave a comment in response to their Meet the Teacher Monday post.
• Visit one or two bloggers after you in the linky line-up and leave a comment as well.
• And because it's so hard to find time to blog, feel free to post any day of the week, not just Monday.

Reindeer Buffet

With the holidays fast approaching, I wanted to share my Reindeer Food Buffet product with you (*The fonts displayed on the product photographs below have been updated. A preview is available in this post.) 

Last school year, I introduced this Reindeer Food Buffet activity to my classroom and in the process...I started a new holiday tradition! The buffet was a HUGE hit.  The students were engaged and chomping at the bit to create their own blend of holiday magic. This activity provided my students with the opportunity to promote mathematical thinking: measuring, weighing, counting, and estimating.

Here's a preview of the Reindeer Buffet product contents:

Page 1: Cover Page
Page 2: Thank You
Page 3: TOU
Page 4: Reindeer Buffet How To Steps 
Page 5: Reindeer Buffet How To Steps (version 2)
Page 6: Reindeer Buffet Directions
Page 7: Reindeer Buffet Directions (version 2)
Page 8-15: Ingredient Place Cards ( 2 different fonts available)
Ingredients:
Red Glitter
Silver Glitter
Flying Powder
Oats
Potato Chips
Bread Crumbs
Raisins
Cocoa 
Page 16-17: Reindeer Food Tags
Page 18: Reindeer Food Buffet Sign
Page 19: Blank Ingredient Cards
Page 20: Credits

Start a NEW holiday tradition in your classroom! This Reindeer Food Buffet will be a guaranteed favorite in your classroom year after year! Added plus, with your special blend of reindeer food, Santa will be able to locate your home, as well as the homes of your excited students anxiously awaiting Santa's arrival! Enjoy and thanks in advance for your support! As always...make the ordinary, EXTRAORDINARY!  

P.S. A letter from Santa will be added to this product. I am waiting on Santa's elves to proof the letter and email it to me;-)

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.