Crafty Teacher Lady

Teacher Appreciation Free Printables

2013-05-05T18:46:00.003-04:00

It's that time of year again...Teacher Appreciation Week! I wrote a post last year about what this week means for us high school teachers and included some creative appreciation ideas. This year I've created a free printable 'baggie topper' that reads "Thanks for being one smart cookie!" Simply print onto card stock, bake or buy some cookies, fill the baggies, and staple the topper! Now what teacher wouldn't LOVE to receive such a sweet gift? Download the printable here!

I've updated the Teacher Appreciation note cards that I created last year by decreasing their size so that four can be printed on one page! Download the new size here!

French Toast Casserole Bake Recipe

2013-04-21T12:46:00.000-04:00

Yum, yum, yummy, yum, yum! This recipe for a French toast casserole bake is simple to prepare, calls for only a few ingredients, and is SOOO delicious!

The casserole should be prepared the night before and then baked in the morning...which is a more convenient option than cooking individual pieces of French toast and trying to keep them all warm before serving! I've slightly adapted the recipe from this source!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar (plus more for 'sprinkling')
1 and 1/2 loaves of Challah bread (see description/picture below)
4 eggs
1 and 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon powdered sugar (and more for 'sprinkling')
Ground cinnamon for 'sprinkling'

The original recipe calls for using Texas toast, which is essentially a thickly cut type of bread. My local grocery store only had the frozen garlic style Texas toast which wouldn't work for this recipe. So, after speaking with someone in the bakery, they suggested using Challah bread which I cut into roughly 1 inch slices:

I would recommend using any thick bread...French bread might work, too. Just be sure your bread is thickly sliced so that it will sufficiently absorb the egg mixture!

Instructions
Step 1:
Melt butter in the microwave, then stir in brown sugar until totally mixed. Spread this mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish (be sure to cover the entire bottom).

Step 2:
Slice your bread into roughly 1 inch thick slices then place into a single layer on bottom of your baking dish.

Step 3:
Mix your eggs, milk, vanilla, and tablespoon of powdered sugar until combined.

Step 4:
Pour half of your egg mixture over your layer of bread. Then sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar on top of this first layer.

Step 5:
Add your second layer of bread slices, then pour the remaining layer of egg mixture on top.

Step 6:
Cover your dish and set in the refrigerator over night.

Step 7:
In the morning, sprinkle more cinnamon and brown sugar on top and cover your dish with aluminum foil. Then place dish into a 350 degree oven. Bake for about 45 minutes total, keeping foil on your dish for the first 25 minutes before removing and baking the rest of the time without foil.

Step 8:
Remove from the oven and sprinkle powdered sugar on top! You won't need any syrup because this dish is sweet enough on its own!

Enjoy with friends and family!

Field Trip to Boston!

2013-03-23T09:09:00.000-04:00

Now that I'm finally teaching US History this semester at my new school, it was the perfect time to plan my annual field trip to Boston! For the last 7 years, I've taken 50 students on a day trip to walk the Freedom Trail, have lunch at Quincy Market, and tour the USS Constitution. We are only 2 hours from Boston so it's an easy trip for one day.

The Freedom Trail is comprised of numerous historic sites in the city of Boston, highlighting Boston's Puritan and Revolutionary past. For school groups, costumed 'Colonial' guides take students on a 90-minute walking tour on part of the Freedom Trail, interacting with the students and telling stories/historic information at each stop. I've requested one guide in particular, Jeremiah Poope, for the last several years because he holds the attention of my students by using humor throughout his stories!

We get to have lunch and do some shopping for about an hour in historic Quincy Market. The kids love walking around to the shops and eating at one of the MANY food court choices! I indulged in a delectable cannoli!! If you are in Boston you should go to Mike's Pastry in the North End (which is the Italian section of Beantown) who are renowned for their cannolies!

While I prefer to spend my money on fine baked goodies, my teenage students have other items in mind...Please note the 'horse heads' and 'giant box of Nerds' in the picture below...

Both fine souvenirs of Boston for sure! Ha ha! They never cease to amuse me! Finally, we ended our trip by touring the USS Constitution, which is the world's oldest warship still afloat. The ship was used in battle during the War of 1812. Free tours of the ship are given by active duty members of the US Navy. The students enjoy walking around and hearing about what it was like aboard ship!

A little tip for all you teachers out there...buy a TracFone for field trips (my school reimbursed and other teachers use it, too)! Essentially you pay about $20 for the phone itself and then you can buy cards with prepaid minutes. This way you can give the students the cell number for the 'field trip phone' and they can call you if they need you without calling your personal cell number! Gives me peace of mind while they are walking around during lunch and on the tour! We had a great time on this trip, for sure!

WIWW: St. Patrick's Day

2013-03-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I went to a St. Patrick's Day party at the home of one of my coworkers. It was really fun to hang out with and get to know people outside of school! I wore my best green accessories...

Emerald colored sweater is from Kohls, boots are from DSW, skinny jeans are from Delias, necklace from Forever 21, socks...maybe WalMart? And the best green accessory of all, my eyes, are from my dad's side of the family! Linking up for What I Wore Wednesday over at The Pleated Poppy!

Apple Nachos

2013-03-16T10:14:00.000-04:00

Have you seen pictures of apple nachos all over the interweb? Have you tried them? No?

Run right out and buy some 'fixins' and whip up this quick and easy snack!

I pinned the idea from this site and then went to town with toppings I already had in my pantry. I used Macintosh apples because they are my favorite, sliced thinly and layered on a plate.

Then I drizzled the apples with caramel sundae sauce, followed by coconut flakes, chopped walnuts, and chocolate chips! Sooooo yummy and sooooo easy!

What I Wore Wednesday

2013-03-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

Once again I'm linking up to The Pleated Poppy for WIWW!

This week's outfit is rather 'hipsterish'...

On this day I went for a walk and had lunch down in Portland's Old Port with a friend...a nice day but still a bit chilly, hence the hat, scarf, and vest! Of course I had to wear my classic and trusty Bean Boots, as part of our walk was through melted snow and mud... they are an essential in every Maine girl's wardrobe and are definitely making a comeback amongst the teenage set as I can't walk down the halls at school without seeing the skinny jean/Bean Boot combo!

Oh and to prove I do dress up during the week...

Super fun giraffe print tights from Target paired with a leopard print cardi from GAP! Roar!

Organization Ideas for the Traveling Teacher

2013-03-09T11:06:00.000-05:00

Thanks to our mid-term week schedule back in January, I had a bit of extra time to 'reset' and organize my class materials before the start of the new semester. I started by printing labels for all of my binders and organized all of my curriculum materials by category...

This year I started teaching at a new school and am a traveling teacher, which means I teach in 4 different rooms around the school. I knew this was a possibility since I am the 'low teacher on the totem pole' and, after having my own classroom for almost 8 years, not having my own space has been an adjustment.

Enter THE CART...

This is what I use to travel from place to place...it's really a kitchen utility cart that I purchased from Amazon last summer but it works well moving from place to place. It's taken a couple months for me to organize it in a functional way.

The green boxes are actually up cycled paper box tops that I got from the office after a paper delivery. I spray painted each box top with a fun bright green color. They fit nicely in the cart to hold extra copies of papers, etc. On the middle shelf, I've also added some plastic storage containers purchased at the local Dollar Store.

Another organizational idea is gluing a strip of scrapbook paper around a clean, empty can of vegetables that would otherwise be relegated to the recycling bin! I have two cans, one for our class participation popsicle sticks, and the other to hold pens, pencils, scissors, etc.

Because I teach in several places, I needed a way to keep all of my papers in one place. I've implemented some really great organizational ideas from this teacher's blog, starting with purchasing a black plastic bin from Target that fits nicely on the cart as well as some hanging file folders...

The blue folders are each labeled with one of five class periods and are for students to check for work they may have missed if they were absent. I make sure to put their names on any papers that were handed out when they were gone and then place it immediately into the appropriate folder. At the start of class, students are to come up and check the bin for their work.

The red folders are for any work that has been passed in and needs to be graded for each class (red means 'stop...you must grade' ha ha!) and then green folders are for work that has already been graded and can be passed back (green means 'go'!). Then I have yellow folders for late work, quizzes and assessments that absent students need to come in and take, emergency procedures, and any handouts that need to go out to my homeroom students.

So far this method of organization has worked really well and it's easy for me to take the bin with me wherever I go! What have you organized lately?

Freezer Meal Idea & Free Printable

2013-03-02T18:52:00.000-05:00

One of my friends on Facebook recently posted a request for freezer meals (or really anything that could be of help) for one of her friends who has three young kids, is pregnant with her fourth, and has been put on bed rest.

Can you imagine? Three young kids and then being put on bed rest? I'm not a mom but have spent enough time with young kids (fun fact, I was a live-in nanny for a year after college) to know that it would be nearly impossible to take care of them, let alone prepare meals, while on bed rest!

Since we were on school break last week I had lots of time to whip up a quick and easy meal to deliver to my friend to bring to her friend (are you with me?)! I also have another friend who recently had a baby so she got a meal, too!

I decided on Shepherd's Pie! My mom's been making this super simple recipe since we were little. We don't use any of the fancy versions, just a few ingredients! I love our version best (and I've eaten the 'real deal' while in Ireland!).

To make one 8x8 Shepherd's Pie you'll need:

-About 4 large Russet potatoes
-1 can of creamed corn
-1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey if you prefer)
-dashes of milk, salt, and pepper as well as 4 tablespoons of butter for the potatoes

Steps:
1. Peel, quarter, and boil your potatoes (I'm not a very knowledgeable cook so I actually had to Google 'how long to boil potatoes'...survey says until you can stick a fork in a potato and have it slide off

2. Brown your meat in a pan

3. Drain your cooked potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Add butter, milk, and salt and pepper and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy

3. Place your cooked meat in the bottom of your freezer pan (I bought a disposable 8x8 aluminum pan from WalMart), then empty your corn on top of the meat, then top with your potatoes.

4. Download this adorable label that I created in Photoshop! Then print onto sticker paper (can be purchased at Staples) and affix to your freezer meal!

What I Wore Wednesday

2013-02-27T05:42:00.000-05:00

Yes! Two weeks in a row posting and linking up to The Pleated Poppy for WIWW! This is an outfit I wore last week during school break. We were having a sunny, 40 degree day so I got away with wearing a sweater layered over a collared shirt, topped with a vest!

I'm digging the orange/green combo! Sweater is from Target, vest is from H&M, wide-legged jeans are from GAP (purchased them several years ago), and boots are from Famous Footwear.

Hope you're having a great week!
We are having yet ANOTHER snow day today...
I hate the snow but it can be quite breathtaking at times...

My cozy little Maine cottage blanketed in snow...

I snapped the picture as I drove off to school Monday morning...it was just so peaceful and pretty!

Lunch Lady Brownies

2013-02-24T15:14:00.003-05:00

Today is my mother's birthday so I had the family over for lunch!

Instead of a cake I made some fudgy, gooey, delicious, frosted brownies from scratch!

The recipe is called 'Lunch Lady Brownies' because it is reminiscent of the brownies that were served in many an elementary school cafeteria in years past! It's super easy to whip up and the layer of frosting on top is a perfect addition to the cake-like brownie base.

Visit Saltbox House, which is where I found the recipe, to read more and make your own!
There's even a gluten-free version listed, too!

WIWW: School Break Style

2013-02-20T13:50:00.003-05:00

Wow! It has been MONTHS since I've linked up with The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday! It's difficult for me to find the time (and lighting) to take pics of my outfits since I usually leave for work and get home from work when it's still dark! But since I'm on school break this week I reminded myself to snap a couple pics of what I'm wearing today!

It's a no makeup, no blow drying hair kind of day (and most of this week) so I put on my most comfortable sweater (from Old Navy), my UMaine baseball cap, and a comfy inexpensive henley tee from WalMart! Jeans are from Delias (my favorite teeny-bopper store) and the awesome quilted navy Sperry boots are from Marshalls! Off to run some errands!

New Neighbor Gift Basket & Printable

2013-02-18T08:42:00.002-05:00

I have new neighbors! My house is on a private drive and when it was built a year and a half ago, there was only one other house on the road. In the fall a new house went up and the neighbors just moved in a couple weeks ago. Now, there are plans for a fourth house to go up...so, it seems that my hopes of living in a neighborhood are actually coming to fruition!

Enter the Welcome Basket!!

I went to my local dollar store and purchased a basket and a bunch of household items that someone might need upon first moving in. In total, I spent only $10!!

Items included:
-box of tissues
-dish towels
-dish soap & scrubber
-trash bags
-batteries
-cleaning wipes
-pens & sticky notes

Using Photoshop, I designed a little card to go in the basket (taped to a wooden skewer)...

you can download the FREE PRINTABLE card, too!

Happy Gift-Giving!

Linking up to...

InstaFriday

2013-02-15T08:09:00.001-05:00

Yay! It's the first day of February Vacation! And it's InstaFriday...
Here's a glimpse of my past couple weeks through pictures!

How hilarious are these Puritan Valentine's Day cards? Very appropriate since this week we've been learning all about Puritan New England...

My students are hilarious...a 'Valentine Bandit' posted hundreds of sticky notes all over random lockers throughout the school...

Crafty project of the week...100 Valentines for my kiddos...

New pink slippies from Beans...

Valentine's treat...Gelato Fiasco!

Post blizzard snowshoeing by the river with some excited doggies...

Brunch at my place with some cuties and their momma...

A furry little feeder visitor...

You're A Star, Valentine!

2013-02-11T06:30:00.000-05:00

No time to create my own valentines from scratch this year, but I did find a really cute printable that I 'tweaked' a bit in Photoshop (I added the 'from' part)...

Such a cute idea! Bags of Starburst candy are relatively inexpensive compared to some of the chocolate candy out there....something I have to keep in mind since I have over 100 students who will be receiving these valentines! Happy Valentines week to you, too!

Technology Ideas for Teachers

2013-02-08T09:12:00.002-05:00

Happy Snow Day! I'm bracing myself for the big BLIZZARD headed to Maine today! We're expecting anywhere from 2-3 FEET of snow to fall today into Saturday! Yikes! Needless to say, we have today off from school!

Speaking of school, today's post is about some cool technology teaching ideas I've been using this year! Teachers, this one's for you! I've compiled lots of other school-related ideas on my Pinterest board, too!

REMIND 101
I have recently starting using a free site called Remind 101 which allows me to send text message reminders to my students because, let's face it, that is how most teenagers prefer to communicate! It sends the messages from a phone number assigned by the service, NOT from my actual phone number! The students can't reply to the messages, they can only receive them. So far, it's worked really well and the students appreciate the reminders! I may also extend the service to the parents of my students as well.

QR CODES
Techie teaching idea number two is the use of QR codes in the classroom! I've just recently started a new semester class with four sections of students and I added something new to the course syllabus...

The students and parents can simply scan the codes with their Smart Phones and it automatically saves my contact information and takes them to my website!

To create a code, all you have to do is go to a site that creates QR codes, enter your information, then save the image to your computer. You can then add the image to any document where you want to share the codes! This is a great way to show parents and students creativity and innovation! You do need a Smart Phone that has a QR reader app in order to scan the codes (you can download this app for free). Here's a code for you to try scanning:

Todays Meet
This is a great online tool to use when watching movies in class but requires that each student has access to a laptop (we are lucky, ours is a one to one laptop school). Instead of pausing the film every time I want to point something out or every time a student has a question, I create a private chatroom at TodaysMeet.com.

TodaysMeet is a really cool (and free) resource for teachers and presenters who want to encourage a backchannel chat amongst their students or audience. Backchanneling allows conversations to go on while something is being presented. In this case, we watch the film while having an online conversation. I can also print out a transcript of our conversation to give to the students as notes. How cool is that? Most students seem to really like this activity because it takes something they love to do (chat online) and allows them to do it with a purpose!

Random Name Generator
In my quest to ensure all of my students are participating during class discussions, I've turned to two ideas, one 'old fashioned' and the other 'high tech'! The 'high tech' idea is this website that allows me to create groups and then the program will random select names.

The 'old fashioned' idea, which I prefer when I'm using my laptop for something else, is the use of jumbo craft sticks!

On the first day of the semester I had each student color half of the stick and then write their name on the other half. At the start of class, the colored sides are facing up and as I randomly call on students throughout the discussion, I switch the sticks in the container so I know who has already participated.

Looking for more teaching ideas? Follow me on Pinterest! Happy Snow Day!

More House Pictures

2013-02-01T22:08:00.001-05:00

So, my house is a year and a half old and I just realized that I've NEVER posted any pictures of the kitchen/dining area! This is probably because there isn't much going on in these areas in terms of decor or DIY (except for maybe my awesome drum shade makeover). Today I'm sharing a few panorama pics taken with my new iPhone! The quality of the pictures is just OK but OK pictures are better than NO pictures!

When I designed the layout of my house I really wanted an open concept kitchen/dining/living space. With only 1,100 square feet to work with, it was important that I tried to maximize the main living space.

Here's the view from the kitchen looking toward the living room...

you can also see a sliver of the main entry hallway on the left!

And here's the living room right now...I just got a new furniture set from Ikea so the slipcovers are a bit wrinkled...buying a steamer is on my 'to do' list!

I'm not done with the decor in this room yet (want to add some pillows, maybe change out the rug...not sure) but I did just frame up some more engineer print family photos for a little collage behind the couch!

Here's a source list for the items in these rooms:

Paint Colors

Dining and Kitchen: Studio by Valspar at Lowes (in LOOOOVE with this color!)

Living Room: Polished Silver by Valspar at Lowes (the color in the above photos of the living room is off, though!)

Dining Table & Chairs: Bjursta from Ikea (it comes with two leaves and expands to seat 10-12 people)

Chevron Rug in Living Room: Rugs USA (online)

Living Room Sofa & Chairs: Extorp from Ikea in 'Svanby Gray' slipcovers (which, again, I really need to steam the wrinkles out of because they are new)

Silver Frames: Ribba from Ikea

TV Hutch: WalMart

Coffee and End Tables: Christmas Tree Shops...painted navy!

Silver Tray & Fabric Baskets on Coffee Table: Marshall's

Side Lamps: WalMart

Curtains: Target

Entryway Accessories

2013-01-29T17:35:00.000-05:00

Here's an update on where my entry hallway stands in its makeover!

You may remember my post on adding some pops of color by making pillows for the bench...or this post on framing up some family photos...or this one on installing beadboard.

I've continued to add some color with a few more accents.

The fabric for the pillows comes from JoAnn Fabrics and the ceramic owl vase was picked up at a store in my local mall. The orange fabric bins are the Martha Stewart collection at Home Depot.

I was so excited to find the orange and gray plaid lined organizer on a recent trip to Target! The colors are perfect and I was looking for something that would help keep my keys, change, and sunglasses organized in my 'drop zone'! The chandelier is from Ikea and the mirror is something I've had since I was a teenage (recently spray painted gray). The shelving unit is also from Target.

Oh and how cute are my new boots from LL Bean? Every Maine girl needs a pair of Bean boots to survive the long winters! They're so warm and easy to slip on over my tights when running out the door to school (then I pull a Mr. Rogers and change into my nice shoes)!

Insta-Friday

2013-01-25T09:12:00.000-05:00

Linking up with Jeanette at Life Rearranged for InstaFriday!

Here's what I've been up to over the last couple of weeks...

1) Over Christmas break I caught the last weekend of the Winslow Homer exhibit at the Portland Museum of Art (that's me and Winslow hanging out)...amazing paintings from his time spent here in Maine!

2) The joys of winter in Maine...our mailboxes were taken out by a car that went off the road during a snow storm!

3) Celebrating New Years Eve with friends!

4) Warming up with some friends at Soakology! Soooo amazing and relaxing!

5) Trying not to lose the stamina I've built up running all summer and fall...but running on the treadmill sucks!

6) Rooting on my students at a b-ball game!

7) A new semester starts Monday! Spent time this week organizing all my course materials, particularly my curriculum binders.

8) Game night at my place with some of the funniest people I know!

Sunshine Box Printable

2013-01-21T17:04:00.003-05:00

Greetings on this cooooold Maine January day! How about a little sunshine? I've created and packed up a Little Box of Sunshine to ship to a friend 'just because' and now I'm sharing the warmth with you!

Go to the store and find as many 'sunshine' colored items as you can,

then put them in a box with this printable card I've designed especially for this project!

Then ship the package to a special friend who may need their day brightened! The printable in the pictures above don't show up very well but the one you can download here should be brighter when you print it! I've used a paper punch to round the corners of the cardstock, too! Enjoy!

Beauty Routine

2013-01-11T16:10:00.001-05:00

I consider my makeup and hair routine relatively low maintenance. I don't like to spend a lot of time on either area and am a creature of habit. I've never been one to bother with foundation (I've been blessed with pretty good skin) but instead opt for a dusting of bronzing powder and blush!

But recently, I've changed some things up a bit and have been pleased with the results! Let's start with the eyes... I have really long eyelashes, however, they grow straight down so an eyelash curler is a must! I heat mine up a bit with my hair dryer before curling my lashes to help keep the curl. With my old mascara (and others that I experimented with along the way but never had good results) the curl would fall out of the lashes and I'd have to curl again! Even then, the curl would fall by mid day.

Enter BETTER THAN FALSE LASHES...

Although the picture is sort of blurry due to my camera phone, you can see what my lashes look like without any eye liner or mascara (on the right) and what they look like after being curled and coated with BTFL mascara! LOOOOOVE it! I'm frequently asked if my lashes are real!

It is a two part system that has mascara in one tube and then little white fibers in the other. You put one coat of mascara, then a coat of the fibers, then another coat of mascara.

The Pros: Holds the curl better than any mascara I've used and gives me incredibly long, thick lashes. I don't have to mess with false lashes (too high maintenance for me)! I get compliments everywhere I go!

The Cons: It's expensive...about $30 at Sephora (although I can get about 3 to 4 months out of one set). It's sticky...if my top eyelashes are smushed together, they will stick! I have to use eye makeup remover on my lashes or the mascara won't come off (the camomile gentle remover from The Body Shop works well). But I love it so don't care about the cons! :)

Change #2 was trying Bare Minerals. Several of my friends use this product and have loved it! It's essentially foundation, bronzer, and blush all in a powdery mineral form. Goes on like a powder but covers like a foundation. I only use it very lightly so I can't attest to how it would work for someone with real 'problem areas' they are trying to cover, but so far I really like it because it doesn't feel like I'm wearing anything at all!

I've got the routine down, too, so I'm happy to maintain my 'low maintenance' status!

PS- I'm not cool enough to be paid for posts or endorsements...these are all my opinions!

30th Birthday Gift

2013-01-06T11:11:00.000-05:00

30 Sucks! Well, not really, but it's a clever tag line for this cute and creative 30th birthday gift!

I've seen something like this all over Pinterest and I finally had a chance to make one for a recent 30th birthday party to which I was invited! I didn't follow a tutorial, just sort of 'winged it'.

Here's what I used:
-Two bags of Tootsie Pops (you could do 30 pops but there were 17 pops in each bag so I just used them all)

-A small bucket or container...I found mine in the $1 section of Target but I also checked out my local Goodwill for flower pots and vases

-Desert Floral Foam (I purchased this for around $3 at WalMart). Cut a piece small enough to fit inside the bucket without sticking out over the top. Then start sticking the pops into the foam in a circle around the rim, followed by filling them in randomly as you move toward the top. Once you've stuck them all in, go back and adjust their heights until it pleases your eye!

-Skewer or thin dowel...stick this, pointy side down, into the center of your bouquet.

-Scrap book paper and glue...I created a simple '30 Sucks' design in Photoshop (any word processing program will work, too) and printed onto card stock, punched with a 2 1/1" circle paper punch, then glued to a square of scrap book paper folded in half. I also used a paper punch to round the corners of the scrap book paper. Glue your sign to the skewer and your done!

Auld Lang Syne

2012-12-31T11:59:00.001-05:00

Robert Burn's Auld Lang Syne is synonymous with New Year's celebrations all around the world. My favorite version of this song is sung by Mairi Campbell (which can be heard in a scene from the film Sex and the City). It peaked my interest enough to do a little research about the meaning of the lyrics...

"Auld Lang Syne is one of Scotland's gifts to the world, recalling the love and kindness of days gone by, but in the communion of taking our neighbours' hands, it also gives us a sense of belonging and fellowship to take into the future."

Below I've included both the original lyrics and the translated lyrics. Happy New Year and best wishes for a bright and joyful 2013!

Original Scottish Lyrics:

Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne.

Chorus

For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne,

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp!
And surely I'll be mine!
And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

Chorus
We twa hae run about the braes
And pu'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary foot
Sin auld lang syne.

Chorus
We twa hae paidl'd i' the burn,
Frae mornin' sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.

Chorus

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right guid willy waught,
For auld lang syne.
Chorus

Translated Lyrics:

Long, Long Ago

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And long, long ago.

Chorus

And for long, long ago, my dear
For long, long ago,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet,
For long, long ago

And surely you'll buy your pint-jug!
And surely I'll buy mine!
And we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
For long, long ago.

Chorus

We two have run about the hills
And pulled the daisies fine;
But we've wandered many the weary foot
Since long, long ago.

Chorus

We two have paddled in the stream,
From morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
Since long, long ago.

Chorus

And there's a hand, my trusty friend!
And give us a hand of yours!
And we'll take a deep draught of good-will
For long, long ago.

Chorus

Insta-Friday

2012-12-28T12:10:00.002-05:00

Now that I have my new iPhone I've been all over Instagram! So today I'm linking up with Jeanette at Life Rearranged for

My vacation week so far...Christmas decorations are already packed up!

I think it's safe to say I have a mild obsession with shiny, sparkly, silver things...

My favorite new ornament (what teacher wouldn't love this?)

For some reason, I keep getting free copies of ESPN magazine mailed to me...confusing because I'm really more of a Better Homes and Gardens/Glamour magazine kinda gal...

I think I'll read them to expand my horizons!

Vacation project/New Year's resolution= Get organized!

As I was organizing, found this gem stashed in a drawer...

School pic 2012!

We got lots of snow here in Maine yesterday...welcome Winter!

Christmas Aftermath

2012-12-26T10:59:00.001-05:00

Wowza! These first couple days of holiday break have FLOWN right by! Saturday was spent finishing up shopping & Sunday I was at family party #1 followed by a stop at a family friend's holiday open house. Monday was brunch at my place with my best friends from high school (a tradition!) and then Christmas Eve dinner and presents at my mom and stepdad's house. Finally, about 18 family members came to my place on Christmas day so I spent the morning preparing/cooking up a storm!

Now that it's over I will spend today taking all the Christmas decorations down because I want my house 'in order' again. Plus, I have a ton of grading to get done over this break and I want to get organized and do my 'chores' before then!

Oh, big news...I finally got an iPhone! I'm LOVING this thing so far, particularly Instagram! I love the idea of being able to easily document my life through pictures! Exhibit A:

Picture 1 is my holiday table, 2 is a lovely new ornament given to me by my grandmother, 3 is yummy Christmas baked goodies (don't you LOVE those silver serving platters from Target?), and 4 is my front door, all 'blinged' out!

I love this time of year but am happy to slow down a bit this vacation...grade some papers, get organized, read some books, and spend time with friends!

Birthday Love

2012-12-20T20:12:00.001-05:00

If today really is my last day on earth, I don't think there is a better way to spend it than being showered with love and kind words. I've had one of the best birthdays I can remember thanks to my friends (new and old), my students (new and old), my colleagues (new and old) and my caring family.

Highlights include:

-More Facebook birthday messages & tweets than I could ever imagine

-Text messages from loving friends (some of whom I haven't spoken to in a looong time...such a great suprise!)

-A hilarious card signed by my homeroom students (see picture!) that makes
me laugh just thinking of how, in just a few short months together, they get my humor so well!

-A hand made card from a student with 'happy birthday' written in 7 languages!

-A 'surprise' party thrown by my freshman class complete with a princess tiara, cupcakes, and chocolate milk! Oh and a 'Happy 30th Birthday' card...hilarious because I'm actually 32!

-One of my sophomore students came to wish me a happy b-day and to tell me he had attempted to plan a flash mob in my honor but it didn't pan out (I assured him it is the thought that counts)

-I ordered an iPhone (finally!)...bye bye 'dumb phone'

-My mommy baked me a delicious chocolate cake with my favorite frosting and I had a nice, quiet dinner with my family while looking at my beautiful Christmas tree and listening to holiday tunes.

-Just when I thought my dad may have forgotten my birthday, he shows up at my door with a card and a hug!

I am a very lucky girl indeed...here's to year 33!