Kissed By A Frog: back to school ideas

Showing posts with label back to school ideas. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Back to School Ruffle Style

Before we get started I just wanted to let everyone know that I am hosting a giveaway at Bacon Time with Miss Mindie! So make sure to hop over there and check it out! It is totally cool, something new and unique, and I know you all will love it/them just like you love me. Awesome new jewelry Design, the bracelet is pictured below but there are matching earrings and a ring!! Here is the direct link... http://bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com/2011/08/free-give-away-courtesy-of-kissed-by.html

And while I have your attention...did you know that I host a LINKY PaRtY every Thursday??? Yep, I do and the best part, aside from showing off all of your loverly creations, is that the most viewed link get FREE "Advertising" for a week and a feature during the next linky!! HOW SWEET IS THAT? So while you are hopping around go ahead and link up too! MMMMMkay? Cause that would be totally awesome of you! Here is the direct link to that too... http://kissedbyafrog.blogspot.com/2011/08/frog-blog-linky-10.html

AND NOW ON WITH THE SHOW...

Just wanted to show you all some more pics of the kids on the first day of school!

This little thing was so excited for school that she got up at 6:00 AM...bus does not come for 3 hours!

Nice foot rest...looks like she is squeeshing the doggie. POOR T-ru (a.k.a. Truman)

"No thanks, mom! I am eating!"

Thrilled to be taking pics for the blog before the bus comes...

Goal Setting excersize. Did you see it?

Landing among the STARS! This kid is a star, really! Is is in the TAG program, reads above HS level, scored in the TOP 2% in the nation on his National Tests, PASSED the SAT with flying colors last year as a 7th grader, and is a Member of the DUKE TIP program. Seriously, you cannot ask for a better kid!

Do MS Students really need all that crap?

He looks tired and is in serious need of a hair cut!

But he is still cute!

Waiting on the bus...

"GET OVER IT, MOM!"

Enough ALREADY!

Awww, aren't they so cute!

I think she was about to break the camera! :)

Lunch box with cusotm bag tag! THANKS, mom and Sugar bee crafts for the idea! Did you see the post last week?

One thing I can garuntee...She is the only one in this get up! She is so adorable!

We have a winner...MATCHING Hello Kitty Back Pack! WOOT! WOOT!

Uh-oh the Bear is awake too! Isn't he precious!?! Transformer and Buzz jammies!

Awww, he doesn't want her to go! Who will he play with today?

Well that is it! That is it, the first day of school! I will post some more pics of the other outfit she wore for the first week back.

HUGS~

Jenni

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Mama Monday - Goal Setting - Great for TEACHERS!

Before we get started I just wanted to let everyone know that I am hosting a giveaway tomorrow at
Bacon Time with Miss Mindie! So make sure to hop over there and check it out first thing in the morning! It is totally cool, something new and unique, and I know you all will love it/them just like you love me.

Okay, so I know this post is a day early but I wanted to squeeze it in and this week is jammed packed with crafty goodness, I swear!
This "project" (no crafting involved) is all about goal setting. I used this when I was teaching at the beginning of the year.
All you need are your kiddos, 3 post it note for each and a place next to a wall that is cleared for juming. I always took my students into the hallway and had my son do it there too (for pic purposes).
So here is what you do. Have a andid discussion with your kids about goal setting and what goals they would like to make for them selves this year (this can be any goal they want because we do not want to squash any one's spirit).
Have them write down there goals on 1 post-it note. Now they need to go into the hall and stick there arm out straight and stick the post it on the wall. Like pictured below. LEAVE THE POST-IT attached on the wall!

Now that we are all out in the hall and causing a good ruckus, continue to talk about goals and how sometimes the goals that we set for ourselves are not always as high as other would like them to be. (A higher standards pep-talk if you will.)

Say that one of the kids wants to make the basketball team. Well how can we stretch our thinking and set our goal of just being on the basketball team higher?

**Maybe you actually play and not just sit on the bench. Maybe you want to make Varisty or JV. BUT do NOT go too far just yet. There is a time for that coming. After everyone has had a chance to think about the new goal have them raise their arm above his/her head and place another post-it on the wall; like pictured below.

Okay now here is where you, the parent/teacher, need to lay it on really thick and talk about how you know that each one of your kiddos are special. Which of course they are! Tell them the old saying about shooting for the moon at least you will land among the stars. How your goals for your kids, are for them to be the very best at everything they do and that YOU KNOW they can be!!

Take the basketball example again:

So now maybe not only do you want to be on the team, you want to play, you want to be varsity, well how about being a starter too.

So have your kid/s take the last post it and raise their arm up as far as it will reach and now they need to JUMP as high as they can to put the post-it on the wall. Like this...

Here is the kicker, as a parent it is hard. We know that no matter how hard someone tries that they will not be able to reach all of his/her goals. However, that does not matter. They set them, they worked as hard as they could to get there, and still fell short but you know what...they landed among the stars because only people with good character put forth that much effort to get there. Kids are resilient no matter what the latest study says about competitiveness. The hope is to give them hope and inner drive to reach and stretch and work hard to become the very best they can be. I think it works!

SIDE NOTE: In the classroom I had them make 3 seperate goals, 1 for academics, 1 for socialization, and 1 free choice.

My kids always loved a.) getting out of the classroom and b.) seeing there post-it notes in the hallways for as long as they would stay up. It was a good reminder to keep working.

Anyway, I just want to share that with you since it is the begining of school.

HUGS~

Jenni

You can spot me linking up at these rocking parties this week! http://makingtheworldcuter.com, http://dittledattle.blogspot.com, http://greenfamily-life.blogspot.com, http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com, http://www.craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com/,

http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/, http://skiptomylou.org, http://pollywantacrafter.com, http://creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com/, ttp://thegirlcreative.com, http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com, http://sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/, http://memakingdo.blogspot.com/, http://www.youhadmeatcraft.com/, http://jembellish.blogspot.com/search/label/A%20Round%20Tuit, http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com/, http://fussymonkeybiz.blogspot.com/, http://jaysonandashley.blogspot.com/, http://tipjunkie.com/, http://athomewithk.blogspot.com/,

http://www.homesavvyatoz.com/, http://www.ninthstreetnotions.com/

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Summer Eulogy

UPDATE: IN CASE YOU DO NOT READ MY COMMENTS (why would you) MY SWEET FRIEND THAT WROTE THIS LITTLE POEM JUST COMMENTED TO LET US KNOW THAT SHE DID INDEED WRITE IT HERSELF. I LOVE HER DEARLY, MISS HER EVEN MORE, AND BELIEVE IN HER MORE THAN ANYTHING. SHE IN AN AMAZING AND INSPIRING WOMAN! THANK YOU SO MUCH "A" FOR BEING PART OF MY LIFE. YOU ARE THE CREAM CHEESE ON MY BAGEL AND MILK IN MY CEREAL!!

Summer Eulogy~
As our last day of summer vacation is coming to an end I wanted to share this with you.
A friend of mine sent this to me a couple of years ago, back in 2008, I think. I absolutely love it! I am not sure if she wrote it or found it some where else, since it has been so long. I thought I would share it with all of you. I actually used it for a fall party invitation.

Come help us morn the passing of a close and dear friend, Summer Vacation 2011. Summer Vacation 2011 has been kind most of us. We all enjoyed at least some of the following: weddings, child births, summer love (which may lead to some winter babies), staying up late, as well as other vacation activities. We feel the heat of her passion, the breeze that blows thru us during the nights. We will miss her lazy days by the pool, intoxicated weeknights, because we have nothing to do the next day, and late night infomercials. Do not fret, Summer Vacation 2011 would not want us to cry at her passing. Instead she (as do we) invite you to celebrate her with the:

1^st Annual Reeve Fall Deck Party

Great Food, and Fabulous Friends Unite as we Morn the Passing of Yet Another Summer and

Welcome Fall Football Season

Summer Vacation 2011 is preceded in death by Labor Day Weekend 2010, Thanksgiving Vacation 2010, Winter Vacation 2010, Spring Break 2010, and Summer Vacation 2010 (2011's older cousin). Summer Vacation 2011...Is survived by Thanksgiving Vacation 2011, Christmas....Er Winter Vacation 2011, Spring Break 2012, and Summer Vacation 2012 (2012's younger brother).

WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR SUMMER,
AS MUCH AS WE HAVE!
Here comes fall...

http://www.homesavvyatoz.com/, http://www.ninthstreetnotions.com/

Monday, August 15, 2011

Mama Monday ~ Back To School Bag Tags

Hello HOT MAMAS! Are you ready for a totally cute way to I.D. your kiddos bags for school? Well here ya go!
Last year my princess had a lunch box that, well a lot of other little girls had too. In an effort to keep the lunches with the correct kiddo her teacher tried to write names on the lunch boxes but she accidental wrote 3 different names on my daughter box and then scratched them. UGH! So this year after I saw this tutorial from Sugar Bee Crafts, I thought...problem solved and made these little cuties for my kids.