Currently Enjoying a Three Day Weekend

Well it is already the 6th of September, so I am hoping I am not too awfully late to join Farley's Currently party. It is the beginning of the year, and I have a sneaky suspicion that I will not be the only one late to this party. :) We are all tired...first weeks of school teacher tired! Late or not, I am always excited to join this fun linky party. I could get lost for days looking at all the wonderful teacher blogs out there. Well....sometimes I do lol....Don't miss out and take a few moments to look around; just remember her rule of 3. :)

Showing our Panther Pride!

As always...we spent our days reading and writing away!

We are still sharing our stories and much discussion about where writers get their ideas. 

When I think about what we know first and what we might have to share, these are my go to read alouds... 

  

When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant and What You Know First by Patricia MacLachlan are both beautifully illustrated examples of writers writing from what means the most to them. When thinking about why writers write, these are perfect mentor texts. 

AND... I LOVE LOVE LOVE sharing this song and video by Miranda Lambert. The House That Built Me reminds me that we all have so many memories to share as writers...we are all writers and storytellers.

This anchor, A Writer's Notebook, is an anchor I work to create every year with my kiddos, and we build on it for most of our launch of writing workshops. We share a lot of great stories and discussion around this one, all of them a great lead in to our own writing.

I am having tons of fun grading our reader's notebooks... you can learn so much about a kiddo from what they share in their notebooks. This is one of my most favorite entries this week.... "a black hole like your desk, Mrs. Dunn"..... oh my...hahaha :) Love this group so much already.

So...this week I was super proud to complete a 100 miles to Labor Day challenge! In the past 6 weeks I have walked or biked 100 miles! Whoo hoo! I put a lot of miles on those shoes this summer, and my goal is to keep going...step by step by step!

My sweet, sweet friends treated me to a wonderful dinner at my favorite restaurant, Kan Pai, as a yummy birthday celebration. Such fun times and great laughs with these girls. 

I received the first of Joshua's senior pictures. The last of my own babies is a senior, and I have absolutely NO idea where in the world the time has gone. We won't be able to use the picture of him with his lamb, Riley, in the year book, but it was certainly one of my most favorites. He has always been so good with animals, and the path that has led him on has been so good for him. So proud to be his mom!

OK... time to talk books! I haven't done this in a while, but I haven't stopped reading. I will have plenty to share as I catch up, and soon I will have the kiddos sharing their own!

How perfect for me to start with this amazing story by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. Fish in a Tree is such a sweet story, and I have no doubts that most of you know this already as it is blowing up on most social media. I cannot scroll through our Instagram feed without it popping up at least once a day, if not more. 

Although I had heard a bit of buzz about this one, it wasn't until my favorite summer reading professional development...So Many Books So Little Time...that I just knew I had to pick it up. This made the top of the list by Ken Stamatis, so I had no doubts it would be a great one. According to him, this is a "teacher's book," and I most certainly agree. 

I have taught so many kids just like the sweet and quirky characters in this book... sensitive and frustrated Ally pushes me to be a better teacher just as Mr. Daniels inspires me to do the same. And secretly I love Albert, the "walking google page."

As I read this story, I was frustrated right along with Ally that no teacher before Mr. Daniels picked up on her issues, and I couldn't help but be reminded of Patricia Polacco's, Thank You, Mr. Falker. I laughed more than once and cried just the same. Sweet and moving and a perfectly inspiring read for any teacher, and I am more than sure that I have a few kiddos that can relate to one or more characters in this one. I cannot wait to share this as a read aloud this year.  

With that I will say goodnight for now and finish linking up with Farley... have a wonderful rest of the long weekend...and kiddos, get ready for another busy week!

Happy Reading, friends!

Saturday's Five for Friday

Since I am jumping back into the habit of blogging and am eager to share all that is Flamingos and Butterflies, I am excited to join Doodle Bugs for Five for Friday; yes, even if it is Saturday!

I started off the week with my most favorite professional development of the year! My, oh my, I am a Ken Stamatis groupie! Shhh...don't tell him...wouldn't want him to get nervous or anything.  I just love, love, love his So Many Books, So Little Time workshop each summer. He is also the reason I found the Young Adult Authors Series, but that is a whole different post! Not to mention a few of his courses at Harding that I have my eye on, but all nerdy stalker tendencies aside, I was even more excited to talk Katie Byrd into joining me this summer. We circled and starred so many different book titles that I cannot wait to start reading; I just have to finish my current read of the summer. Ahhh...so many books, so little time!

 

So those of you that have followed me for a bit know my ups and downs concerning my weight and health. Yo-yo queen here - hello! It has become my constant struggle, but watching my dad's health deteriorate so quickly because of something he just may have prevented hit me pretty hard.  I mean...I know what it takes to lose wait and be healthier; remember I have done it over and over. Yet, it is funny, sad, or crazy - you pick - just how it takes something so tragic to rattle around what you already know to make it stick in just the right way. While I am not saying this will be easy for me, I am saying that I want to slowly but surely change my way of thinking and living. Baby steps....slow and steady is what I keep telling myself, and I have spent much of my summer trying to find ways to be healthier. Walking is always my favorite, so I have put in many, many miles this summer! Good thing my view is always so pretty. :)

This week also found me looking at wedding venues. Not for my Katie Byrd, but for my son, Justin and his precious fiance, Ellysa. Justin will be deployed to Romania tomorrow, so this sweet girl is planning a wedding with him by phone. Her mother and her were gracious to include me as they begin preparations for a beautiful wedding, and the venue they are leaning toward is breath taking. Pictures do NOT do it justice. I am excited for Justin to begin this new phase of his life with this sweet and beautiful young lady.

This week I did manage another quick getaway with some great friends. We spent the night at the cabin and then spent the next day junking around the flea markets and antique stores of Heber Springs. Perfection!

Love my Flamingo Friends!

Such gorgeous views of the river.

Diana's little Bentley had as much fun as we did!

Carving out one-on-one time with this crazy kiddo can be difficult with his work schedule. I can usually get him if I include food, haha. He is forever working hard on his little farm, and I could not be more proud of the young man he is becoming. Because he always seems to bring his work home with him, our local bank posted a photo of him on their Facebook page; better be careful before he gets a big head for being famous and all. 

The latest sweet baby he brought home.
Meet Buddy... cutest thing EVER!

Joshua working with his show lamb, Lucy.

Two other cuties at the farm, precious little twins.

OK, OK...I know it is 5 for Friday, but I have one more thing to share, so today you get a bonus!

This one is kind of a cheat...this is actually from last week, but I just have to share. The hubby and I took a small trip to Mt. Magazine in Paris, Arkansas. It was just one night, but it was so beautiful! Again, photos just do not do it justice!

We had tons of fun, and can't wait to go back! We even tried to talk our daughter into getting married there, but alas she has her sights on more promising venues.

 

We spent some of our time just sitting outside, watching the hummingbirds flitter around us, taking in the soothing mountain breeze. My hubby is now hooked on the place.

I did manage to get him out and about to do a bit of hiking and biking - see number 2. :) With all of the hills, the biking was way more challenging than I had predicted, and he promised NOT to do that again. LOL...good thing the hiking was a bit easier, and oh my goodness....SO BEAUTIFUL!

Trying to get my crazy and silly hubby to take a selfie with me was quite the chore. Check out these goodies.... So I DID have to get him back. ;)

 

Whew...are you as tired as I am? That was a TON of amazing happenings! AND even more pictures...goodness! 

Now, not sure if anyone was counting, but if you were, you realize that I have two - yes, count them - TWO weddings coming up in the very near future. Katie Byrd and David will be married in June, and Justin and Ellysa in May, depending on his deployment. Whoo, hoo....lots of changes, so this girl is just going to hold on to the ride and try to enjoy every minute of it. 

Until then, be sure to check out all the other linkies at Doodlebugs, and....

Happy Reading, friends!