Last Week, Summer Break, Lightening Bugs, Oh my!

Last week was SO busy & emotionally draining that I couldn't muster up the energy to post.  I think I probably would have cried bawled a little more had I tried to post!  So let me rewind....
Wednesday we finally were ready to do our wax museum... I know I posted some pictures last week of the kids.... but I wanted to share some of their month long work!

I made journals for my kids and used part of Tracy Teagler's Wax Museum unit with the organization of their materials.  The kids LOVED their special research journal, they had a pocket, pages for their research stickies, and a flip book in the back, which is where I used some of Tracy's unit!  I also figured since we were at the end of the year and since MOST of my kids are ready for the added responsibility, I made students keep track of the resources they used, so they could prove where they found their facts!  They numbered their stickies according to the resource used so they could keep track!  I am so stinkin' proud of how hard they worked and how wonderful their work turned out!! Proud Teacher!

Thursday was our last day of school.  We started the day with our talent show, after taking my kids downstairs, I FRANTICALLY did a little bit of running around and tried to schedule my little miss a doctors appointment...of course she would get sick on the LAST WEEK of school!  Thankfully, my  momma & siblings were able to love on and take care of her!! Once I made it back I was able to watch most of the acts before we (the 2nd grade teachers) headed back stage to prepare for our skit!  Right before our skit though was one of my little babies.  Of course being the sap that I am, I bawled during her performance.  She did a dance/gymnastics mix thing... This is something she is very passionate about and spends almost every night doing.  It was awesome to be able to see her poise and seriousness about it, it was a completely different side than I'm used to seeing.  One of my co-workers said something to the effect of "we don't need real water for our skit!"  You will get it once you view our skit BELOW!!! :)  I think it was quite a hit!

Forgive me for the awful quality of the video... you can see a little better version on my FB page! :)

After the talent show we cleaned out the desks, loaded the back packs, did our classroom awards, & then it was time for our hula-hoop relay!!

This was one of their balloon incentives!!  I think this was one of their favorites!  Each team was racing to put on the grass skirt and a flower lei, run to the other end of the court and get their hula hoop around five times, run back, and take it all off for the next person!  They had fun, but were super STINKY when it came time to come back in thanks to our wonderful Texas heat! :)

Then it was time for a movie to unwind, followed by a pizza party, and candy bar!! 

I didn't even think to take a picture of the candy bar BEFORE the kids emptied the bucket!  As you can tell from the picture, the kids went home with a LARGE bag full of candy, I'm sure their parents greatly appreciated it! ;) B's picture is actually from Friday, her last day at her babysitters, I just couldn't resist! 

To be honest though, I was the BIGGEST cry baby ever when my kids left.  Seriously, I TRIED really hard to hold it back, but like I've said a ton of times before my class this year was really special!  While some kids had tiffs at times and not everyone was always BFF, we really meshed well together!! I'm really going to miss this group!!  Not to mention that this week I found out that not only were we losing my good ol' neighbor Gwen, but another one of our teachers is moving to a school closer to her house! :(  So now we are down two teachers!  I guess it's the norm... EVERY year for the past 3 years now, we've lost two teachers on our team! Bleh.... I just want it to stay the sameeeee!!!  Whaaa... Ok, I'm done with my whining fest now! :) 

Now that it is officially summer, I have spent quite a bit of time sleeping, playing with my baby, relaxing, and because I can't help it .... working on back to school math centers!! I'm in love with them already! Anyone else obsessed with MelonHeadz!?!?!  I have some great ideas for my back to school lit centers too!! Can't wait!

Of course I have to leave with you with a few weekend pics!!  We had quite a bit of fun to say the least! :)

I finally ordered and got my sweet brother to help set up B's CHRISTMAS present from her great grandma this weekend!!

She is obsessed with her new swing set!! When it was time to come in tonight, she went and pouted under her little fort.......... top right picture!  As she was pouting I saw LIGHTENING BUGS!! Oh. My. Gosh.  It has been YEARS since I've seen them, seriously like since I was a kid!  B had a blast laughing at me running around the yard like a wild one trying to catch it!  She loved seeing it up close too! :) 

Sorry if this has been all over the place, I'm still trying to fully comprehend that it is SUMMERRRR!!!!  

Hope you're all enjoying your week, hopefully you're on summer break and relaxing!

EOY Madness!!

I feel like a huge sense of PANIC has set over my body, mind, ....Oh & classroom!  I have 7 days to pack up my classroom... which will mostly be done the last two because we aren't supposed to break anything down really until the end of the last school day. I have however been trying to reorganize. 

I received these AH-MAZING boxes on Tuesday!!! EEEE.... I might have done a happy squeal and dance when I got news they were on their way up to my room!  I purchased LOTS of new storage boxes... an even more AH-MAZING pocket chart (I will share about that on another day) & some new FABULOUSLY colored book boxes. 

This is what I got started on IMMEDIATELY after my kids were out the door!! :)

BEFORE:

AFTER:

You can see there is a major difference!! My favorite thing is that you can actually SEE what is INSIDE of the boxes!! Hello!  There has been even more change now after today... But I didn't think far enough ahead to actually take pictures of that!! Once it's all done & I'm happy with it I will share another picture!!

This weekend we had a B.L.A.S.T. & enjoyed every moment of our 3 day weekend!

B & I had a blast out on the lake with my parents and grandma!! :) 

We met up with a sweet friend 2 nights in a row to catch up!! She lives in Houston so it's a rare occasion for us to see her!  We love you Ker! :)

Then... Monday night I prepared for my end of the year BALLOON popping incentive!!

Of course B had to get in on the action!! :)  This year I added a little more fun to the balloons and put tissue paper confetti inside of the balloons!! It has made quite a mess, but of course my kids L.O.V.E. it! :)

Here is a close up of the cards!  You can get them for {FREE} in my TPT store!! :)

This has been a HUGE hit with my kids, just as it was last year!! My kids were ecstatic when the got into the room!!! :) Thank you Pinterest teacher who pinned it long ago.  If you were the original creator & pinner or know of them, let me know so I can give them some Kudos & Credit! :)

I got to thinking that these cards could also be used on a prize board or something too!  Just another idea.... :)

So tonight I shall TRY to get some rest & be asleep in bed BEFORE 10!    I will be back on Friday to share lots of other fun pictures of things I'm doing in my classroom for NEXT year... I've been having a blast using my vinyl and Silhouette Portrait machine this week!!! :)

Oh & my AC is FINALLY getting better.... That is it's only 76ish degrees instead of 80 .... It's amazing how much cooler 4 degrees is!!

Happy Wednesday!  6 more days, 6 more days, ONLY 6 more days!!!!!!!!!! .... school days that is... with my kids!