A Mom, a Teacher and a Blog!

Making a Move

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 18:12:00 +0000

So as great as this blog has been I just haven't stuck with it the way I wanted to. I always try to make these plans then they fall through. It is connected to a google account I just don't use anymore and I rarely log in to. I feel like it should be teacher driven and I just don't have enough to post on teaching more than once a week. SOOOOOO I am making a move! I have started another blog called Plan It, Stick It, Do It and I will be blogging there from now on! This blog is dedicated to all the things in my life I love. My faith, my family, autism awareness, my Jamberry business, planning, improving my home, and teaching! If you want to join me there I would love to have you! You can follow the link below! Hope to see you there!!!

Why Jamberry?

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 14:18:00 +0000

So a little over a year ago I started selling Jamberry to supplement our income. We needed extra money for C's therapy cost.

I knew that direct sales was something I could do but I hated the idea of pushing a product on my friends just for the money. I was invited to an online Jamberry party by a friend and purchased a sheet of the Autism Awareness wraps, just to try while also supporting two great causes, my friends hostess rewards and the ASA.

This was my second application using these wraps.

I tried them and it took me FOREVER to get them on, BUT they last two weeks. My nails never lasted two weeks unless I had acrylics on. I was impressed. My friends were in love. I had all kinds of people asking about my wraps, SOOOOOOO......... I realized this is what I could do. I was in LOVE with the product and getting faster each time I put them on, down to about twenty minutes now.

I joined and the rest has been amazing. I am able to help my family, always have perfect nails, and I have made great friends. This past July I was able to attend International Conference in Dallas. I met so many great people and had a blast. It was great. I learned a lot about business and myself.

I am proud to stand behind a product that works and a company that supports charities that mean so much to me.Starting with the Autism Society of America all year and right now for the month of December supporting Now I Can. Check out this video to find out more:

These wraps are amazing and will be getting some myself plus some for my little one. She loves getting her nails done too.

So if you want to know more, learn about specials that happen, have a chance to enter contests, or just learn more come follow me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/markeetanails

Until later have a Merry Christmas...

Teaching With Intention Ch. 2

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 18:44:00 +0000

Well it is Wednesday and time for the next Chapter in the Teaching With Intention book study. Remember this study was put together by Kindergarten Smorgasboard ! This weeks hosts are:

Flying into First Grade

The Primary Gal

Mrs. Dailey's Class

Question 1

What are your beliefs about teaching and learning?

The environment must be appropriate for learning. The students have to feel comfortable, not feel overwhelmed, and feel as though it is their classroom.
Planning is essential for learning to occur. If you don't have a plan with an end in mind then you will get lost, if you are lost, the kids are lost!
Lessons should happen in three phases, modeling by the teacher, practice with the teacher, and practice independently (or with a small group)
Lessons should be based on student needs. A teacher should not move on when students are not ready just because the manual says next lesson please!

Question 2

How do you build a sense of community in your classroom?

Community is built by getting all students to buy in. In my classroom each I begin the year by having students bring in family photos, which we display all over the room. We are all family and that room is our home, homes have family photos!! Then I have a set of jobs and each child is given a job (this rotates). The jobs given them a sense of ownership in the room. We also sit at tables and do most of our work in small groups. The students are encouraged to help each other and work together.

Question 3

How do you go about teaching kids something new?

I try to teach my lessons in a similar format each time so that the kids have a routine they can count on. We begin each lesson with a quick review/recap of the day before. This could be a question, statement, or activity, but always short. Then we move into the hook for our new skill/concept. I have done all kinds of different things. One of my kids favorites is when I make a youtube playlist of videos on our new topic (they are very short clips) and the students guess what it is!! After a discussion, I model our new skill, then our whole class works together in a similar activity. After that the students complete an activity on their own or in small group.

There were a couple of lines in this chapter that really stood out to me that I wanted to share!!!

1. But for all their pomp, it's hard to imagine the circumstance where prepackaged programs and scripts teach children better than we do.

Miller, Debbie (2008-08-13). Teaching with Intention (Kindle Locations 253-254). Stenhouse Publishers - A. Kindle Edition.

We sure do get a lot of STUFF when we adopt book programs, but they don't hold all the answers. They are ONE tool to use, never let a program tell you how to teach!!!!!

2. So intently was I listening for thinking that mirrored my own that I'd forgotten the importance of listening to what kids have to say. I barely heard them because I was so determined to lead them to my way of thinking.

Miller, Debbie (2008-08-13). Teaching with Intention (Kindle Locations 271-273). Stenhouse Publishers - A. Kindle Edition.

I have been guilty of this a lot. I know the answer and only listen for that. All to often they are giving us a GREAT answer, and we aren't listening to hear it!!!

That is it! See you next week for Chapter 3!!!

Teaching with Intention Ch. 1

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 18:40:00 +0000

I have decided to participate in the Teaching with Intention book study over the summer. It kicks off today with Ch. 1. Each week there will be a different chapter hosted by 3 different bloggers, the whole thing is being coordinated by Kindergarten Smorgasboard

This week is being hosted by

Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten

Primary Possibilities

Enchanted Kindergarten

So hop on over to their blogs and join in!!!

Chapter one is all about the ideal classroom. Read below to find out about mine!!!!

It has taken me years to figure this one out. Each year I feel like I learn a little more about myself and the student population I teach. My son also plays a huge role in what I think a classroom should look like. I like for a classroom to have consistency. I prefer rooms that use one or two colors throughout. I think this cuts down on the distraction level and makes the room look cleaner. I also feel like an ideal classroom is very organized but in a child friendly sort of way. Things should be labeled and if materials are for student use they should be within student reach. All furniture should be low, so that it can be seen over and is easily reached. An ideal classroom always has a steady hum of sound. The students are working and talking about their learning. The teacher and students are engaged in conversation. It will always feel warm and welcoming to anyone that comes in.

The students and teachers are learning. In an ideal classroom the teacher is learning from the students just as they learn from her/him. There is always conversations and discussions happening between teacher and students, as well as, students with other students. Everyone in the room is actively participating in learning. The students all have an understanding of expectations and consequences. They are engaged and full of enjoyment.

I have a red/black themed room I understand that having everything color coded can get expensive, so I work on it a little each year. My classroom is very organized and structured. Expectations are clear and students all understand they are part of the family with responsibilities in the classroom. I use only low furniture so that it can be used anywhere in the classroom. The majority of our day is spent in small group work where students work together and with me.

The sound. I tend to be easily distracted by conversations (as in I hear all conversations happening around me, and don't focus on the one I am in!) I want my students constantly engaged and working together, but I have to be careful that it is not a distraction for me and the students that are like me!

See you next Wednesday for Chapter 2!!

It's Okay to Grieve

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Wed, 27 May 2015 23:43:00 +0000

I love my children more than anything in the world, both of them. Let's be real for a minute that boys have a special place in their momma's hearts, my boy is no different. He is a momma's boy, I am wrapped around his finger!!

There are some truths about that boy of mine.

He was born in 2010, and is 5 years old.

He spent 3 days in the hospital because he was jaundice.

He was a fussy baby, cried a LOT, only slept in the car, and wanted to be held all the time.

He did not hit his milestones like everyone else.

He laughs a LOT (not always appropriately!)

He smiles all the time.

He has lots of words now, but doesn't use them all appropriately.

He can say his ABC's and count to 20 (just not when you ask him to)

He is the light of my life.

But he struggles with a lot. He struggles to communicate, he struggles with focus, he struggles with needing constant stimulation, he struggles to understand.

My little man has made big gains in his life so don't get me wrong with what I am about to say.

When you get the diagnosis of autism, some people tell you that it is okay to grieve, that it is normal to grieve the dreams you had that are gone now. Some people tell you not to grieve, because you don't know what your future holds. They are both a little right. It is okay to grieve, because you did lose the life you thought you would have AND even if you make it to a great place someday it is going to take a massive amount of work and sacrifice to get there. You also don't want to let go of all your dreams because then life seems hopeless and ITS NOT!!! The thing about grieving because of autism is that it doesn't happen just one time. When you first get the diagnosis you grieve your big goals and dreams, but you don't know (especially if it is your first child) the little things that you will get to in life that might cause some sadness. I feel like I have handled C's autism pretty well. Sure it took me a little while to get help after I realized, but once we got help we jumped in with both feet and got him everything we possible could. But I recently hit one of those milestones that we won't get to do, one that never occurred to me would hurt, but it did!

I am a kindergarten teacher. In March we started registering and screening the kiddos that will be in K starting in August. I input all these kiddos into a spreadsheet for our team. As I am doing that this year I start seeing all these birthdays that are close to C's. All my friends that were pregnant when I was are posting on Facebook about Pre-K graduation and registering for K. My little man will not go to kindergarten this year, like he should. I am not sure if he will ever go to a traditional kindergarten class. Last night we went to the end of year celebration for his class. A group of those children are moving on either to traditional kindergarten or to a self contained classroom setting, BUT they get to move on. I watched as the children, all of them no matter age or placement for next year, but also all with special needs in some form, walk to the teacher for their certificate with no help from mommy, they posed for pictures or hid behind their teacher just like my kindergartners do. Not my little fella. He had to sit in my lap and be held, tight, just to keep him from running out of the room. When they called his name I had to walk him up to his teacher, where he proceeded to meltdown and cry, while trying to lay on the ground. It was heartbreaking.

So I am grieving the loss of my kindergartener. I am grieving the fact that I won't have my little boy in a room down the hall from me with one of my two best friends in the world teaching him. I am grieving the fact that I won't get to share the kindergarten experience with him like my other K teachers have done with their children. YES, I do get to celebrate all his achievements and NO I don't take those lightly or for granted. YES, I am so glad it is just autism and not something far worse and NO I don't wish I could wave a wand and change him. BUT I AM GRIEVING AND THAT IS OKAY!!!!

It won't last long.

Please if you know me or another parent that is going through any time in their life with a child with a special need that might cause them to grieve, let them. Don't tell them "it's okay" or point out all the things their child can do. Believe me they know and all those things and have celebrated them in crazy kinds of ways!!! Do tell them you love them. Do support them.

So today I am sitting and grieving the loss of my kindergartner, while I hold and love my amazing, wonderful, bright 5 year old boy. And tomorrow is another day!

Does It Work?

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 14:21:00 +0000

Okay so I posted about our oily plan the other day!! Here is our results so far!!!!!

We started on Tuesday night with a bath and oil, no nap- asleep by 9:30 and slept all night

Wednesday night bath and oil, no nap- asleep by 10:00 and slept all night

Thursday night bath, no oil, no nap- asleep by 9:00, up at 4 AM!!!!

Friday night no bath, no oil, napped- asleep by 12:00, up at 7 AM!!!

So I know this is only a few days but I can see the difference in each night! I am going to try my best for no nap today and he will be having a bath WITH oil tonight! Ready to start week two with this and see how it goes!!!!

An Oily Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 13:39:00 +0000

One of our big struggles with C is sleep! He HATES it! He doesn't want to stop, no matter how tired he is! This causes many meltdowns at night, frequent nights up past midnight, only to wake up by 6:30 the next morning! He can do it, but this mommy was STRUGGLING!!! I knew we had to do something about this sleep issue, so I went to our doctor! The doctor said MEDICINE! We were looking at the very least melatonin and possibly something stronger!!!!!! I have had kids in my class that have used melatonin, one with some complications. I am not sure why but this makes me nervous and I JUST DON'T WANT TO!!!!! So now what?!?!?!

Well I had to come up with a new plan! It started with 2 weeks of SNOW!! Okay so I didn't plan that but it gave me LOTS of time where I couldn't leave my house, where we had no structure, no therapy, no school. We did have time for computer research and LOTS of play!!!! So the kids played, all day, and I worked on my Jamberry business and spent lots of time on Pinterest! During those two weeks C did not nap, not one single day and every night we were asleep before midnight, yes that meant 11:59 some nights, but that is before midnight and I will take that over 2 AM anytime!!!! That was step one of the new plan NO MORE NAPS!!!! Step two has been in the works for some time. A few months back I was at a vendor event and met a Doterra rep (please keep in mind I am not using Doterra or YoungLiving and so this is not an advertisement for either!!!). She gave me a blend called Peaceful Child (Ylang Ylang, Vetiver, Frankincense, and Clary Sage) I would put it on his neck when a meltdown would start and the results were AMAZING!!! He would be calm in just minutes, but being me I started researching and discovered this was a STRONG blend! I never like to start with STRONG! He is only 4 and if we do STRONG now then where will we be in a couple of years?!?!?! My dad use to be in the spa industry, his company sold essential oils (before they were huge in the direct sales industry and everyone was using them!) He reached out to the distributer they used, who connected me to an expert. She and I exchanged several emails and she gave me lots of suggestions for things to use! Sleep was the top of my list!! So I placed my order, took a little while to get here, since they are in England, but it arrived yesterday!!

So last night I placed two drops of Roman Chamomile into warm milk and then poured the milk into his bath water. Now bath time is never good for us and last night was no real exception, but improved bath time was not my goal! Now he has not been napping much (they still have naptime at school so he just rests, but does not sleep unless they just can' keep him up, an then only let him sleep a little less than an hour) and yesterday there was no nap. After a day of no nap and our new Chamomile bath he was in bed at 9:30!!!!! Holy WOW!!!!!! And here is the best news, frequently when we are in bed this early it is because of no nap and he wakes up at 3 AM, not last night! I woke him at 6:45 for his medicine and to get ready for school!!!

Today I am mixing my new version, or my own version of Peaceful Child. It is a mix suggested by the oil expert. I will be mixing Frakincense, Mandarin, and Benzion with a coconut oil carrier. I am going today to get roller bottles so I can put this on his feet and neck.

I am excited to see how this goes. I will let you know both about our bath time mix and meltdown mix! Check out all the links at the end of this post, as I said I don't use Doterra or Youngliving, but know LOTS of people that do so feel free to follow my journey and use your favorite brand!

Doterra

Youngliving

Absolute Aromas -- This is the one I am using, so all my results can be directly attributed to this company.

Week 1

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Sat, 03 Jan 2015 15:30:00 +0000

So I have decided to join in with the people that share their planning each week (personal planner-so this is more the mom side of things). I don't do a whole lot of decorating. I would like to do a little more, but I want to keep it functional and not just decorating for decorating sake. I thought about doing a video but I wasn't sure how I want to share my planning yet. I do my planning on Sunday but I don't plan on sharing until the following Saturday (just don't want the internet knowing my coming week- call me paranoid) So tomorrow when I plan I may do a video and share it next week but for today you get a picture and description!

Okay so starting at the top I have an empty box that I couldn't decide what I wanted to put there. I am thinking next week I may put a verse from this weeks Bible study. Then I have my One Little Word for the month of January (I may keep it all year or change it if I feel I need a new focus!) I have an inspirational quote (this one just so happens to relate to my OLW). The note to self box is empty, I left it that way so if I needed to make a note or reminder to myself I could write it in, I may do another quote in the future since I have so much space other places!

Moving down on the left side is a place for two checklists. The top one I have listed some things I need to pick up when I go out. The bottom one I have listed my color code. I picked my color code for specific reasons like C's favorite color is orange, Jamberry's color is purple so I don't really need this to remind me!

Each day is divided into three sections and I can label them however I want. I picked Family, School, Jamberry. I may end up giving C his own section and combine Family and School, since he has the busiest schedule of us all. You can see the color code in effect here. I am going to have to add a doggy color because with Happy coming there will be even more grooming, vet, and training visits. I am thinking of doing dog related stickers to mark the things for Happy and Cooper instead of a specific color.

At the bottom I used washi tape to cover the label boxes above each section, because I am using each line of that for something different. I wrote on it the things that I am putting down there, but I didn't use a good pen for washi so I need to get a new one for that. So in this section in the first box I wrote what we will be having for dinner each night. This is important because I have started doing freezer meals and need to remember to thaw them!! They only work if you remember to thaw them!!! Second I have my team retail volume for Jamberry. I check it in the morning during breakfast and write it in. I am really wanting to promote and earn a trip to Hawaii in 2016 so I am monitoring this closely this year! On the 3rd line I have whatever I read in my Bible study for that day. That is another goal for this year, to be faithful in Bible study. The last line I am writing in my calorie count for the day. A couple years ago I had a friend use one of those fancy scales and tell me what calorie count I needed to eat per day to lose weight. I did that and I ran a good amount and LOST weight. Then life got crazy, I quit counting, I quit running, and the weight came back!! SOOO I want my healthy lifestyle back. It wasn't a diet. I didn't change what stuff I ate, I just watched my portion sizes and made a few better choices (like skipping dessert or running that day if I wanted dessert). I use My Fitness Pal on my phone to keep track of my calories but I find it helpful to write down that final number each night.

That is pretty much it. This week was a little boring because the kids and I didn't have school and C is on a break from all his therapy (which has meant lots of meltdowns!!!) I am excited to go back to a regular schedule next week for all of us!

Please share with me your planners and how you stay organized! See you next Saturday for Week 2!!!

Happy is Real

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 01:33:00 +0000

I have posted a few times about getting C's service dog, Happy. I shared that on December 24 we got "the call" about Happy being selected! Today I got an even better gift, we received pictures of Happy. Actually we got to join his Facebook page!!! Want to see??!

Isn't he BEAUTIFUL!!! Oh I can't wait to meet him! He is currently living with his foster family, but will be joining us soon! Want to see more about him you can here.

Want to know about our journey with Carter, you can find that here.

Fourteen in '14

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Sun, 28 Dec 2014 16:26:00 +0000

It has been SOOOOO long since I did a linky!! This is so exciting for my. My 3 year old is sitting beside me and she thinks I have lost it a little!!! Anyway I am linking up with the ladies from A Teeny Tiny Teacher, Funky First Grade Fun, and Miss Kindergarten to share fourteen memories from 2014! Here goes!!!

I was born to be the mother to my children. C and E came into this world to do something amazing and I know that. It is my job to set an example and lead them. 2014 has taught me LOTS of lessons but the greatest of which is that my job above all others is being their mother!

I love this purple stripe shirt from The Gap! I wear it all the time. This particular picture came from March 26 (Epilepsy Awareness Day). This was our first year spreading awareness, since C was diagnosed with a seizure disorder in January.

First I don't go see movies. If I have a sitter than I am most likely working or have an errand that has to be done. I did go see Frozen this year, it was the first movie I ever took E to see. I almost picked that one, but I didn't. This Christmas E was really starting to get it. The whole thing, she understood Christmas was Jesus' birthday and that it was a time for family. She also understood the BoBo (our elf) was traveling to the North Pole to check in and that Santa would visit. She got super into our book/movie advent and LOVED the Santa Clause movies. We have watched them nonstop since we opened them earlier in December. In fact Santa Clause 2 is playing while I type this.

I LOVE this show!!!! I mean LOVE!!!!!! So much of it hit home with me. Family struggles, marriage struggles, parenting struggles!! I could relate so much. One particular episode sticks out to me. Adam and Kristine and talking about Hank and that he could be autistic. Adam says "It is wrong of me to wish he is". I GET THAT!!!! I see people with autism that are successful and that gives me hope. If I met a successful photographer that had been able to marry and have children and they told me they thought they might be autistic, I can't lie I would wish for it too!!!

We live about 1.5 hours from the one in Asheville and it was so worth the drive, but then they opened one just 30 minutes away!!! YAY!! They have the best chicken and biscuits and gravy! I can't have pork (random allergy) so biscuits and gravy out anywhere is almost always a NO, but since they use chicken for the grease I can have theirs and it is so YUMMY!!!!

I tried Jamberry nail wraps for the first time and loved it so much I joined and started selling. I know this is a shameless plug (http://markeeta.jamberrynails.net). I really do love them though. I used to keep my nails done all the time, then I had kids. That meant no time and no money. These are super cheap compared to salon visits, they last forever compared to nail polish, and I can do them in my living room after the kids go to bed!

Okay so I technically bought this for myself, but that is how my husband and I do gifts. We just buy what we want and tell the other about it. Neither of us have the time to hint, snoop, or shop so this is just better! Want to know more about it check out this post.

I haven't been as good about it lately but I am a runner! BUT this shirt is SOOOOO true about my running ability!!

In May I wrote a post about the journey we were starting to raise money to get my son an autism service dog. It was an open letter asking for help. It definitely drew some traffic to our fundraising site!

Make a Donation!

This relates back to the previous one! My favorite accomplishment is that we have raised $19,447 toward our $25,000 goal! We have 3 years to raise this money and we are only 8 months in!! I can't believe how many people have supported us and all the hard work we have put in that has PAId off big!!

Make a Donation!

I work at this school where we are more FAMILY than faculty. When one of us is down or in need we pull together. Just yesterday we had a prayer meeting to pray for one of our teachers in the hospital. This picture came from this summer when they surprised me with a Cold Water Challenge for C's Autism Dog! They all got together at a fourth grade teachers pool. They had one of my K friends trick me into going with her to drop off her kids to swim. There they all were ready to take the plunge and give me a donation. It meant so much to me. I love being part of this family!

This year has brought so much growth and change for E! She amazes me each and every day with her energy, personality, and love!

Pretty simple!

This past year I struggled a lot with focusing on the past, what I could have done different. There is nothing I could have done different because it was all part of God's bigger plan. It all happened as it should have so I just need to look FORWARD!

Cant' wait to read everyone else's Fourteen in '14!!! GO link up!

Happy and Autism

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 21:46:00 +0000

In May we started the process of getting a service dog for C. We have raised $19,444 of our $25,000 so far. I am really amazed at that honestly! If you are interested in learning more about this please check out this WEBSITE. On December 24 we received our phone call that Happy (C calls dogs happy horses, so we decided to name him Happy) had been selected and we could expect delivery in early 2015! We are so excited about what is to come for us with this dog! I can't wait to share more about our training and progress with you!

That being said C is on break from school and we are having meltdown city! He is skipping his naps and getting overly tired each evening. I KNOW we need to be more scheduled in the evening (even during school) so that is my goal for this weekend and next week. We have a great morning routine, so now we need an afternoon routine. My plan is to create visual schedules for both a morning and evening routine. I figure we already have the morning routine down so it will help in teaching him to use the visual schedule. I also wanted to create the visual schedule to help my husband. Most nights I am the one at home and I am in charge of all things children. He helps by doing what I ask! With my new Jamberry business I have the occasional evening party that takes me away from home. It will help him keep our routine and hopefully avoid any meltdowns. So I found these pictures HERE

I am going to print these and put them together in this fashion:

I found this on Pinterest. We will start using it in the morning. Tonight I am going to start trying to find a routine that really works for us. Once I do I will create a evening routine visual for us. I don't want to make it until I find one that really works for us, so it will be at least one week because I need to do one run with each of the different type of evening appointment we have.

So do you use visual schedules at home or in your classroom? Share your ideas, failures, or success below!!!

Come on 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Fri, 26 Dec 2014 17:05:00 +0000

I am ready for 2015 and here is why!!!!

One thing I have learned over the last year is I must have a PLAN and stick to it! I also have to write down EVERYTHING!!!! One of my biggest stresses were "surprise" appointments. They weren't really surprises I just had forgotten about them. With a child with special needs and seizure disorder and another child with trouble with her kidneys, and two jobs I have A LOT of appointments. C has a case manager from the state, two therapists, school, three doctors, and just general 4 year old stuff. E has two doctors, school, and general 3 year old stuff. I have faculty meetings, conferences, IEPs, Then with Jamberry I have parties, vendor events, and deliveries. Last year I just a Mead planner I got at Target. It had a two page spread for each month and a bunch of note pages in the back. I made it work but it would get cluttered and the boxes were to small for all I needed. See!!!

You can see this was a mess! Drove me crazy and even though we weren't missing things or as surprised I was still struggling a little with it!! I knew I would need a better planner so the research began!! I watched YouTube videos, read blog posts, and searched Pinterest. I had no idea all the people who blog about their planners, how they plan each week and the decoration! I don't think I can get that into my planner because I don't have time to decorate really, but I do plan to start including my planning on my blog. All my research led me here... http://intheleafytreetops.com/mom-planner/

Now I am not Mormon, so I purchased the non-Mormon version and it is perfect. There are a ton of extras in the planner and I will go through them in planning posts in the future for today I just want to share the basic planning pages I will be using. You can see we have already started adding stuff in 2015!!

Monthly spreed is two pages with a notes column on the side and the next two months in small boxes. The boxes are a good size. I plan to use this for quick adds. Basic information about appointments, then I will transfer them to the weekly spread with more details! (And yes I color code my planners, I am green, my husband is blue, C is orange, E is pink, School is red, Jamberry is purple and anything else is black)

This is the weekly spread. Check out the up close of each side for more info!

The Sunday-Tuesday side. There are a couple of empty boxes at the top for quotes, reminders, big dates really whatever you want) There is also a section called "It's the everyday things" This is a check box where you can check off things you need to do daily. Meditation is already listed. I have added dishes and water, and still have one more section.
Down the side there are two list sections, both with blank headings! Each day is divided into three sections. I am choosing to use these as Family, School, Jamberry. Although this may change since C has the most appointments of all of us! The bottom has a whole other section, in most planners this would probably be labeled as meal planning. That is one of the things I LOVE about this planner there are a lot of ways to customize it. No heading is filled in, it is all up to you!

This is the Wednesday-Saturday side. The only difference is at the top it has a Remember This box and a Note To Self box!

In case you can't tell I am LOVING my new planner!! I look forward to sharing with you the rest of the great stuff in it and all the ways I use it!

Share with me your favorite planner in the comments!

Name Change

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 15:55:00 +0000

I must say I miss my blog. I miss having the ability to share my teaching ideas and having a place for reflection. The problem is I went through a LONG phase of not wanting to be a teacher anymore. I am sure we all go through this at some point in our career (maybe not as long as mine was), but thankful it is over (somewhat). Why my animosity toward teaching?!?! Well it started with a year that was rather rough. It was the year that I had several special needs friends in my classroom for the first time. That was one of the biggest blessing ever, because on VERY special friend helped me to realize (come to terms with, accept, admit) my son had autism. On the teaching side of things it was very hard on me, because I realized I was not trained, prepared, or supported for having these special friends in my class. I went back to school myself to become the teacher they needed. The next year only got worse. My son hit more struggles than ever before including being diagnosed with a seizure disorder. My daughter started having trouble with her kidneys. My class was the HARDEST of my career. I was finished. I could not handle the stress of my family and my class. I felt like I couldn’t be the mother I needed to be because my class was draining me. I felt like I couldn’t be the teacher I needed to be because I was constantly out or worried over my children. It wasn’t fair to anyone. I just wanted out!! It came to the end of the year and I felt certain my kiddos in my class and their families were not my biggest fans! I was wrong, you see we had loved each other through that year. And those little ones had learned in spite of my life situation. I was so stressed/blinded by life I was missing the changes they were making, the progress in front of my. Two days before the last day of school my parents found out we were raising money to get C an autism service dog, and in those two days they decided to pull together money to donate as my gift. This was by far the greatest gift I have EVER received from a class! And in an instant I realized what I thought was the hardest class of my career was the most important and impactful class I had ever had. They were no different than any other class, it was me. I was letting life get in my way. I learned a HUGE lesson from them. SOOO I came back this year with a different outlook on teaching. I am not going to lie I have totally different career goals now than I did, but they are still education related.

You may have noticed my blog changed names. Through my crisis of teaching faith last year I came to realize that my problem was my family and being a mother was coming first (that is not a real problem and continues to be the case). I just wasn’t sure how to balance everything and my type A personality melted down. I kept trying to put it all first and that wasn’t good for any one! So I got my priorities straight. Now life is not perfect and I still have A LOT of stress! I am just handling it better. I being mommy comes first (hence the name change) and being a teacher comes second and honestly it has made me a BETTER teacher!!

So this blog is changing too! I still plan on posting teacher posts, but I am SO much more than that! I am a wife, a mother, a parent of a special needs child, an advocate, a Jamberry consultant, a friend, a sister, a daughter, and a Christian. This is one more thing on my plate so I can’t promise I will be faithful to it as I hope to be, but I will try because it was good for me as a teacher and I think it will be even better for me as a whole person!

A letter to anyone who will help...

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Sun, 11 May 2014 16:07:00 +0000

Dear whoever you may be,

My name is Markeeta. I am a mother of two beautiful children. My oldest child, Carter, is 4 and has severe autism and a seizure disorder. He has been through a lot in his short 4 years of life. He struggles with communication and this causes frequent meltdowns. These can be scary for all of us, especially his two year old sister, which is where a lot of his aggression is directed. Carter also has no sense of danger and has on more than one occasion has run from me toward traffic, barbed wire fences, and drop offs. Our family lives in fear that he will hurt himself or someone else without meaning to. He is the cutest sweetest little boy that gives hugs and kisses all the time. He deserves a little peace. You can help us by supporting Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers. They are an organization that trains and places dogs with families in need of extra support, like ours. A dog for Carter would provide help in calming his aggression, protecting both himself and his sister. It would stay with him at all times, making getting away and running very difficult. If he was able to get away his dog would be trained to track him. His dog would be trained to recognize and alert an adult if a seizure occurs . These dogs are huge emotional supports for their children as well as a support to the family. I am asking for your support to raise this money and more for this organization that is making a difference in so many families lives, including ours.

Find our personal campaign and read Carter's full story here:
Make a Donation!

Thank you for helping me take the best care of my little boy!

Sincerely,
Markeeta and Carter's entire family!

Wise Decor winner and review

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Sat, 24 Aug 2013 17:35:00 +0000

How perfect is it that my Wise Decor arrived on Friday (the day before the giveaway ends) and I had a chance to put it up for this post! Let me say putting it up was pretty simple. It came with directions, but I was doing it by myself and it was rather large, so I didn't really follow them! It still went up perfectly. I was so excited to see it up. I picked a Christopher Robin quote for my little boy's sensory room. I really loved all the things for the classroom, but I just don't know how long I will stay at my current school with my son being in a whole other state. If you aren't the lucky winner this is totally worth it so check it out at Wise Decor.

This is it on the wall. It is very large and looks absolutely amazing.

I took this one hoping to show the scale better, but my room in kinda skinny and I couldn't get far enough back with my phone for you to see the whole wall. But there is about 3 feet on either side of the wall art. It is close to 5 ft across.

Okay now on to what you have been waiting for the winner of the giveaway!

Congrats! Expect an email from Wise Decor soon, also let me know what one item from my store you would like!

Classroom Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 14:00:00 +0000

We started back to work July 29 (my birthday) and kids came the next Monday! In Kindergarten we stagger so I didn't have any kids until Tuesday and only had 5-6 at a time. I really stepped up my red and black theme this year. I have been slowly converting over the last few years and this year almost finished it off. I have a few little things I would like to do but overall it is finished! Check it out!!

Don't forget my Wise Decor giveaway, check it out here!

How about a Comeback Giveaway!?

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 14:00:00 +0000

I know I said I would get better, then didn't. I am trying. I have a list of great ideas to blog about but time is at a premium around here! I did have a company approach me about doing a giveaway! I thought Back To School Time was a great time to do it!

The company is Wise Decor, they do wall words. They have this great idea for teachers to start using wall art in their classrooms. I have really been enjoying searching through the website trying to decide what I want! I will be completely honest I am getting a free gift for offering this giveaway, but I have been all over their website and I have explored the web to compare them to similar companies. They are reasonably priced compared to others and have an entire classroom ideas section! Seems to me like this is a great thing! Check out their wall words and their classroom ideas. When I get my free gift I will write a full review to if you don't win the giveaway but are interested stay tuned for that!

Now on to the good stuff! What will you win!! Wise Decor will give you a $75 gift certificate for their website! I also plan on throwing in one item of your choosing from my TpT store!!! I hope you are as excited as I am!!!! So enter below and Good Luck!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also don't forget TpT's back to school sale today and tomorrow! Use code BTS13 plus my whole store is an extra 10% off!

Return From the Land of the Lost

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 19:26:00 +0000

Life kinda did a roller coaster this year. I am not even sure we are finished yet, but I feel like I have gotten use to the craziness and can get back to some things I enjoy (like blogging!). From my last post, when I thought I would be coming back you may remember that my son most likely has autism. We go to the doctor for all his screenings June 26. Pray for me until then, because even though I know, hearing it will be one of the hardest things in my life. This group of K friends I just sent to first grade made me seriously consider finding a new career. We came through it in the end (and if any of my parents have found and read my blog know that I loved them, we just really struggled to find our groove, but I think most of you understand it wasn't the kids that caused the problem). In fact it wasn't the kids at all, it was the red tape that is impossible to cut in order to help my students that I love. I had lots of students that need just a little extra help this year either socially, academically, or in some other way (fine motor, gross motor, family situations).
My dealings with all of these issues and with Carter did several things. First it made me angry. Angry at special education, angry with the government that thinks our funding is sufficient or could even be cut, angry at authority. Then it inspired me. Inspired me to improve myself (going back to school), inspired me to improve my school (I am working on creating several inservices for my fellow faculty members regarding special needs), inspired me to improve the community (I am still working on the details of this one). Finally it made me sad. Sad that my son will grow up with this all around him, constantly having to fight to meet his needs, sad that my babies from class will have the same fate as my son, sad that so many teachers and principals think things are okay when they aren't.
I will tell you Carter is in an incredible school with great teachers that work so hard toward his progress. He is in an ABA preschool. This is where I first learned about Applied Behavior Analysis. I was so excited to see what he was doing and how much he was learning I began to research for myself and found UMASS Lowell. They have an online graduate certificate program for Behavioral Intervention in Autism, which provides the right course work for getting your BABC (behavior analyst board certification) all you have to do is complete the observation hours (1500 WOW!) and take the test. I started my first two classes May 20. Let me say this was a big decision considering I have two toddlers (one with special needs), plus my husband and I are starting our own little business this summer, which he will be running completely once school starts back in August. But it was a decision that I had to make. I had to decide would I let doctors and therapist tell me what was best and how to do it, or would I go out and find it on my own, learn it for myself, and feel confident in what I was doing.
One thing that helps out is Carter will be going to summer school the whole month of June and Erin is going to daycare now. At her 18 month appointment I expressed concern that even though she had words she didn't use them a lot and she didn't have many. The doctor said based on her observations, she thinks Erin doesn't talk because she sees Carter communicate without talking and thinks that is what little people do. So goodbye private nanny, hello daycare. We actually found a great daycare between our house and Carter's school, plus they have an after school program he can do starting in August with a bus to take him there! Everything is falling into place, now if I can just slow down enough to enjoy it.
This summer a lot of my blog posts will be about autism, our journey, and new things I am learning. I plan to try and make things for my TPT store for regular education teachers to use with special education students, because if your area is anything like mine you will be seeing them in your classroom more and more, with very little help from outside.
Sorry this was so long and with no pictures. Hopefully the posts will get a little more entertaining as the summer goes!

Freebie

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:25:00 +0000

I thought since I had been away for so long it was time for a freebie!! It is a way to say thanks for sticking with me!!
Enjoy!

Goodbye 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 17:02:00 +0000

It has been a while since I posted. Part of it was because life has been crazy and part is I had a lot going on and I haven't been sure how or if I should post. I am saying goodbye to 2012 and filling in blog land on my absence. I have two children, 19 months apart. My little boy is 2 1/2 years old and is nonverbal. In August we began the process of Early Intervention. After initial testing he was a 13 month old in terms of communication. He also qualified for occupational therapy because of his fine motor skills. We began in home therapy once a week with both speech and OT. In November we had our meeting with our local school system to see about continued service once he turns 3 in April. We discovered he will probably qualify for the Special Ed Preschool and that testing process has begun. Here is where I get emotional. My son is perfect and nothing will cause me to feel differently. God made him the way he is and gave him to my husband and myself for a reason. The problem is I am a teacher and I know what happens in Special Ed. I see first hand the problems the children, parents, and regular ed teachers face.

In fact this year (also in God's plan to help my journey) I have a little boy that came from the Special Ed Preschool in my district (not the same as where my son will go). Without giving out to much detail just know this year has been a fight and a struggle for me. His mother is wonderful and an inspiration to me. The fighting to get what he needs scares me because I know someday I will be on the other side of the table. Starting Thursday I will add another Special Ed child with similar circumstances. Both boys will share an aid throughout the day. All the meetings, conferences, and daily dilemmas have worn me out, even made me consider a change in careers. This years class also has two children with ADHD, speech and language delays, ODD, custody issues, and I could go on and on.

I realize this is becoming the new norm, and my son will be a part of that. I have been so many places emotionally this year. I have felt guilt, like maybe I caused something to be wrong with Carter. I have felt sadness, because I am not sure I am being the mother I should be to him. I have been worried that I am focusing to much on him and my daughter will suffer for it. I have been angry that children don't always get what is best for them in the classroom, no matter how hard the teacher tries. I have been scared about the future. I have been happy and over joyed at the accomplishments he has made this year. I have selfishly thanked God every time my daughter has hit a milestone on time or even early. 2012 has strained me beyond belief. I feel exhausted.

I come into 2013 optimistic. I know I am a good mother and a good teacher. I know I do the best for both my children. I know I do the best for the students in my classroom. I will not let the politics involved in running schools change my feelings on the job I do and love. I decided that I could not leave teaching. I have felt a calling toward special ed this year. I don't think I want to teach it, I just want to understand it better and do a better job in my classroom. I am considering getting my EdS in Special Education. It is expensive and we don't really have the extra money. It is needed for Lil' Man. So blog land here is where I need your help. Does anyone know a way, grant money, or anything else short of selling an organ know where I can get great financial assistance? This may be a dream that has to wait but it is worth looking into.

As far as Lil' Man goes we have found this great program called Tap To Talk. I am able to design photo albums (board maker only virtual) and put them on my phone, iPad, or even better his brand new Nabi 2 tablet we got him yesterday. I love this tablet specifically designed for children. If you haven't seen or heard about either Tap To Talk or Nabi you should check them out right now. I am not being paid or bribed for this in anyway. I am giving an honest opinion from a mother and a teacher. On January 14 we will take Lil' Man in to see his regular doctor. They are going to refer us to a behaviorist. We will be driving for appointments 1 1/2 hours away. I am fairly certain we are on our way to a diagnoses of Autism Spectrum, but I am not a doctor so I will wait and see. God gave me these two children to love and take care of. I feel honored he choose me to guard these two precious angels, to help them succeed in life, and to love them unconditionally. I am sorry for the absence in posting, and for this long winded, overly emotional, to much information post. I had a lot on my mind and I needed a place to say it. If you stuck with me thanks for reading.

Sharing Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 14:01:00 +0000

Well it is Saturday again, and I did not manage to post anything all week. I keep hoping it will get better and I will be able to do other things besides work and lay down half dead. I thought this week was going to get better then it just didn't. I also didn't get as many pictures this week as I wanted. Next week won't be any better. It is only a 3 day week, with Parent/Teacher Conferences Thursday and an Inservice Friday! So on this wonderful 3 day week the powers that be decided the Kindergarten county wide meeting should be Tuesday. So on this short week I have to be gone one of those days. It will be insanity. Anyway....

This week we did Max Takes The Train and talked transportation. We also started rotating through our stations (without help from me!). I think they are ready for me to start pulling groups. I will wait until after our 3 day week though. I also have some before pictures of my classroom to share with you. I plan on doing the after pics on PT Conference Day.

Anchor Charts

Our New Little Friend

Literacy Stations

Before Pictures of My Classroom

Forever

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 19:14:00 +0000

Wow, not counting last nights quickie post from my Ipad, it has been forever since I have posted. I have a ton I want to post about. Eventually I plan to post pictures of my classroom from this year. I have been working on a Red and Black Theme. The room turned out looking great (at least in my opinion). With two little ones I don't put a lot of money in my classroom, and we don't get a lot of classroom money. So some of the stuff I am changing a little at a time. I also made (had some one much craftier than me make) some crate seats. My K team and I begged the milk company to give us black crates for free. That ended up being an ordeal but I will make a whole post about that! So there are two up coming posts for you to wait on! Today I thought I would do a peek at my week in pictures! These are some of the things we did this week. I hope to do this each week, but I can't promise anything this year. That leads me into my explanation as to why it took so long for my to post. It has been a rough start to the year. This class is a very large mix of super strong personalities. They are all so sweet, they just don't mesh well together. We have a class motto this year and it is proving difficult to learn (learn to do, not say!). Our motto is "I worry about me!". We need this because some of my friends need a different teaching method or behavior plan than the others, and in kindergarten they just don't understand life isn't fair. We are getting there, it is just a slow process. Anyway enough about that, on to my week. Hope you like it!!!

That's what I got this week. We did a lot more, but I was out two days with a stomach virus, so no pictures!!!

Kindergarten Common Core

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 02:50:00 +0000

Okay K teachers have you seen the new Common Core Resource Book? It looks great! So many resources for each standard clearly labeled.
You need your own copy. Head here to get it Kindergarten Common Core .

Tell Me More

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 13:57:00 +0000

Step into 2nd Grade with Mrs.. Lemons is hosting a linky party and I love a good linky party. The purpose of this one is to get to know each other better, and I love it! So here we go some things about me!

1. I am a people watcher. Once when my sister moved into an apartment and I had a hurt knee and was unable to help I sat out front and watched her complex. By the end of the day I knew all kinds of things about the people in her neighborhood. I don't ease drop I just watch. (My daughter is already doing that too and she is only 8 1/2 months old!!!)

2. I am an Alabama fan!! ROLL TIDE! My dad was a military brat and was born while stationed in Alabama and it stuck with him! And he passed it on to me. I am such an Alabama fan I negotiated with my husband to ensure my children would grow up Alabama fans. Sorry Atlanta Braves but we are Cubs fans now!

3. My sister and I are 10 years apart in age but we are like best friend. We just spent a month in Florida together with our kids.

4. I live on my family farm in VA, but work, shop, and do everything in TN. I even once said to a lady on the phone who was giving me directions "I don't know where that is, I don't go to Virginia" she responded "Don't you LIVE in Virginia"!!!!! I live really close to the state line, so it doesn't really feel like I live in VA, other than at tax time :(

5. I have an addiction to Coach purses and items. I love them! Before I had kids I got bags and such like crazy! I have slowed down since have the little ones though!!!

This is from 2008, so pre-babies. I have added a couple more things since then, but not too many! I do have a blue diaper bag that I love! My dad and my husband have spoiled me with Coach!

6. I love Nascar! I think it comes from living in Bristol Motor Speedways back yard and my dad being a huge fan. One thing on my bucket list is to go to a race at every track on the circuit! So far I have been to 3 different tracks, hoping to add one or two more next year.

7. In case you haven't figured it out yet, I am a Daddy's girl. I want nothing more for my little girl to be the same way with my husband. I love my Dad and we do so much together. It is a great relationship, one that I wish every little girl had!

From Left to Right: Me, my little boy, my dad, my sister holding my little girl

My husband and his Daddy's Girl!!!

That's me! Hope you enjoyed a peek in my life! Link up so we can all learn a little about you!

Giveaways

noreply@blogger.com (Markeeta) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 13:37:00 +0000

Wow there are a lot of giveaways popping up right now! Check out a couple of them:

This one is on day 4 of 10, so lots of chances to win! Plus I am excited that the winners will be announced on my birthday, so maybe I will get lucky!!!!

Anyway that is just a couple so go check them out and!