Christmas Break Catch Up - Part I

Hello my long, lost friends...

I hope all of you are enjoying your break and time with your family as much as I am. It has been unusual for us in that the hubby has had a week off with us. A WHOLE WEEK! That NEVER happens...like in 20 years of marriage-never-happens! So I must admit: it has been a wonderfully relaxing, aka LAZY (I am talking jammies for days lazy) and terribly fun to be home with the family.

No doubt you have noticed my lack of blogging as a result...did I mention lazy in there somewhere? However, I went back I looked at last year's posts, and I was a little off in my blogging around this time way back then, too. I guess that means I can't blame it on the hubby! LOL...I will just blame it on all the parties, and shopping, and family, and food, and more parties, and presents, and more food....and, and...well, I guess you get the idea.

Anywhooo....I was thinking.

Scary, I know... but I was thinking that if I can ever drag my jammied self to the computer, I might just try to get in a few short posts here and there to get you all caught up on our little part of the world.

Yay....decision made... short posts if at all possible!

So I will start with the positive reward cards Mrs. Whitt and I used with the kiddos in the crazy days just before our break...you know...that super-crazy-kids-are-thinking-about-everything-but-what-I-am-trying-to-teach-days!

I found Kady at the TeacherTrap and her awesome reward cards! She called them Freebies for Peace...yes FREEBIES and PEACE! Two completely awesome things, haha!

These are so super fun and easy, and the kiddos absolutely LOVE them! If they see the coupons come out...it is MAGIC how well behaved, and quiet, and attentive, and oh my did I say magic, they become!

If you get a moment, you might want to drag your jammied self to the computer to download them... remember...free...LOL. You have to check out her blog. Lots of great goodies!

Here are a few of the kiddos enjoying the Teacher Time and Show & Tell coupons..

 

  

More of their favorites were the Specialty Seating and Stinky Feet...and of course the Crash the Computer was a total hit!

I think I may be heading out of the "short post" range, but I just have to share a couple of books that I have read. Actually, I think I have read a ton since I last posted about finishing Allegiant by Veronica Roth....but I will just mention a couple of faves until my next short post, wink wink....

The Cuckoos Calling by Robert Galbraith (also known as J.K. Rowling) was a wonderful mystery. I am not usually a huge fan of the genre, but I loved this one. As I read, it was difficult to not sit and marvel (or be blindingly jealous) at the limitless talent of J.K. Rowling. Such amazingly descriptive storytelling; I was captivated until the end. I truly could not wait to find out "who did it!" I don't know if their will be more with this new P.I. Cormoran Strike, but I will be watching and waiting for the next case!

And oh my....The Scorpio Races! I have become a big fan of Maggie Stiefvater this year having read Shiver, The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, and The Scorpio Races. 

Let me start by saying I had to dig in deep when I started this wild ride of a book...I can tell you at first I wasn't so sure where I sat with this one. It was all a bit much for me, these magical water horses and their riders, Puck and Sean. But by the end, I was chomping at the bit (no pun intended ;) to find out just how Stiefvater would resolve who wins in a world where she made me desperately want them both to win....sooooo good and so completely different! LOVED it!

Neither one of these amazing books are books that I would recommend for my kiddos. It totally drives them nuts when I share tidbits of my home reading, and they know they won't get to pick it up for years. Hehehe... I love sharing my own love of reading, and driving them all crazy at the same time. Win/win! :) 

I truly have so many more great reads to share, but I will stop there for the moment as I am sure I have slipped well past that ever elusive short post!

Happy Reading, friends!