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!

Summer Time Five for Friday

Whoo hoo...IT IS Friday! The LAST Friday of my summer.

My last official week of the summer has crazy busy. Workshops and lesson plans. Where does the time go?

Even with all the mad rush craziness, it has been a wonderful week, so I am joining Doodle Bugs for Five for Friday to share it! And I might just cheat a little and share a few things from the end of last week as well. :)

SO MUCH professional development this summer...it has been a whirlwind of classes, but some of them have been so awesome that I am totally fine with it! I am a sucker for a good professional development...very nerdy of me, but I am totally fine with that, too. 

My most favorite workshop this summer was "We Can Do It: Using Primary Sources for Social Studies." It was a field trip to the local military museum and Air Base. It was an awesome time with awesome friends, and I picked up some really cool ideas...QR codes on field trips...yes, please! 

 

Old flight simulator

 

Cockpit of C130

Of course, I spent even more time working in my room. I found this great idea from Shannon at Class Organize. I can't wait to use this quick exit ticket strategy to help my kiddos self-assess this year. I have often used exit tickets but never thought of having the kiddos evaluate their own thinking. This is one of those ughhh...why hadn't I thought of that sooner moments. Simply brilliant! I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for sharing, Shannon.

Look at that mess. What do they say about a messy desk? Hmmmm.... Oh well, that mess was purposeful and this teacher is done with her first week's plans. Whoop whoop! I am ready for my new babies to walk in the door!

I just love a new binder of plans :)

 

I am now LESS than one week away from seeing my baby! I have so missed him this summer, and this momma cannot wait to wrap her arms around her little boy. Marine, or not, he will always be my little boy, and not hearing his voice, his laugh, or seeing his I'm-up-to-no-good-and-you-love-me-anyway-grin has been one of the biggest challenges I have faced as his mom. Lord knows I will look like a blubbering idiot at his graduation from bootcamp, but I don't even care. LOL...hope all of my friends are ready for me to blow up their news-feeds on all social media! 

His graduation is the reason I will not be making it to our school's open house this year. It is the only time since I have started teaching for me not to be there, and it has driven me nuts all summer...it is the reason for the mad rush in getting my room ready, the tons of professional development, and early planning. But tickets are purchased, rooms are booked, and I will be there front and center, smiling through the tears! 

 

Our Back to School Party was a blast, full of hugs and giggles! Our principal asked all the staff to read a book that she felt would make a huge impact on our year. She gave each of us a copy of One Word that Will Change Your Life with the task to read it this summer and find our word. It is a very quick and inspirational read, and if you take a moment to really think about it, your word will come pretty easy.

We all met at our local Painting With a Twist studio to create masterpieces with our One Word. You know how much I love and miss painting, so this was right up my ally! For few of my partners in crime...maybe not so much. ;) Love you, Vicki!

My sweet teammates...Linda and Sandy :)

My One Word and finished product!

After all the painting fun, we ended up at my favorite restaurant, yummy Kan Pai! There the laughter and fun continued.

 

Barbara trying to catch a shrimp in her mouth LOL

Here is a much better picture with hysterical-pee-your-pants photo credits going to Dawn Coyle! I can't tell you how hard we all laughed at this one! Snorting was heard, people! Barbara is such a great sport. 

That just about wraps up my Five for Friday...but I do have my first picture book recommendation of the school year! This sweet little beauty was picked up by my Katie Byrd at the Salvation Army. I love that she is always looking for beautiful picture books for her mom; makes my heart smile that she loves a good book as much as I do. 

I now have a new favorite to add to my huge pile of favorites. I Hope you Dance! by Mark K. Sanders and Tia Sillers is beyond stinking cute! LOVE, LOVE this rhyming romp of a story for kids that sends the same message that the adult version, book and song, does.

Look at these illustrations by Buddy Jackson and Karinne Caulkins!

I mean LOOK how cute!
I hope you woggle your goggles out!

With that, I will say good bye for now. I have to use my last few days of summer freedom to clean up this mess I call home....oh and pack for my trip to San Diego to see that baby boy of mine!

Happy Reading, friends!