20 Something

Alright! Enough is enough... something has got to be said! 

Let's just start with this and then i will move on to my rant! 

I enjoy blogs and reading every little morsel of what is put on the internet (for the most part). I enjoy bloggers from many different perspectives and think it is wonderful when someone can write an eloquent piece that they decide to share with others. I also learn a lot from other bloggers and would not trade this blogging world for anything. This is in no way a bash of any of the bloggers that i follow, it's really just and "I'm just sayin'!" moment! 

So here it is... I think it has become cool, trendy, or whatever to say that you are "20-something" This has slowly gotten on my nerves! I am completely OK with my age and think it is just a number and if anything it shows a bit of life experience and maybe even a little wisdom. I am tired of women who get so depressed during their birthday week, day, month and so on! This is not just apparent in the blogging world. It is only age and if you feel you are lacking something let's just please move on and do something to change what you want to be different in your life. If you are not in a relationship, find one. If you are stuck in a boring job, change it. If you lack happiness or health or peace, then change it! But when i look at other blogs and i see that someone isn't willing to share their age when they are in their 20s, this frustrates me...

Why? Why would one want to hide? Let's be honest, there is a big difference between 20 and 29. There is so much change that life brings during that decade of time! Why not share your age? I share mine happily. I am 32 and proud of my accomplishments and where i stand in life. Do i have goals and dreams that i have yet to live out? YES! But, it just seems terribly ridiculous that a 20 year old would refrain from posting an age. 

I am writing this not to change your mind, but maybe to call attention to this trend that only makes it seem as though something is hidden. We are bloggers and as bloggers it seems as though we put ourselves out there. As a reader and a blogger, i sure hope that the other blogs i read are honest. If we are not honest about the simplest of things (such as our own age) then what else do we hide? 

Maybe i am missing something. Is there a reason that within your 20s you would hide your age? 

In my opinion, there is not. In fact there isn't a reason to hide you age no matter what age you are. This girl never will hide it. 

Around the Room

I've been working hard all week on bulletin boards, cleaning, organizing and just generally getting ready to welcome parents into my classroom! 

Here's how some of it turned out:  

Parents were greeted with this cute info packet and a tasty apple! 

The rhyme on the tag says:

"An apple for the teacher is really nothing new except when you rememebr that parents are teachers too! I'm looking forward to working with you and your child this year!" 

This is a new activity this year! The kids have loved it and it can be as short or as long as you like! I call it my Buzz Book (got that from another teacher somewhere... can't remember who!?!) but this is generally a morning message. So far we have focused on finding nouns and verbs as sentence parts. 

Our Word of the week each week is from our current social studies or science unit! I even teach the kids a hand motion to go with it! This has increased their comprehension of certain concepts quite a bit! Plus our number of the week too! 

The lettering turned out great! Love it! 

 This borad may change a bit through out the year, but for now, it has a great anchor chart that lists strategies for solving math problems! 

 I love how the lettering turned out on this board! 

 Our reading board! 

 Another great anchor chart that we did this year! 

And here's my board for outstanding work! The lettering and turned out great and so did the hippos! 

This is my Character trait themed door! You can even see one of my GLAD posters! Love this strategy to teach character traits! 

And here's an old favorite! Along with another one below! These have held up so well that htey didn't need changing! (BTW I have had the fade proof paper up for about 2-3 years. Love that stuff! It has held up quite well!)

A special thanks to my awesome aides and my hubby who all helped me cut out letters, words, and clean through out the week! 

So that's me strutin my stuff... go check out what everyone else made over @ Six Sisters Stuff! 

A Date With My Couch

Oh boy! Let me just say... I.CANNOT.WAIT for tonight! 

With back to school night last night, a couple IEPs to prepare for, room decorating, crazy kiddo behaviors and just the average run of the mill day to day stuff, I am flat out exhausted!!! Oh and hubs is on a boat tonight, so this girl (me) has a date with her couch! 

Tonight, when i get home after a whirlwind of a Friday, I am headed straight for my couch to watch a couple chickie flicks! My chick flicks are in my apartment and ready to be viewed thanks to this adorable gal over at A Look Into Me and the wonderful Movie Night Swap that happened over at Linny's Vault and Life with Attitude! 

Here's what i got in my package:

Twizzlers, Reese's, and popcorn! 

  

TWO DVDs: Definitely, Maybe (haven't seen yet) and Sex and the City (didn't own and love!)  

Plus, Stacy sent me a beautiful sand dollar from the East Coast! 

I have yet to see one of these on a California beach, so this was really cool. 

I am way excited about my movie night tonight... and so is Lily! 

Thanks so much Stacy for a great swap! Loved every last little bit! 

Lily even jumped into the box when it was emptied out! Aw! So cute! 

Be sure to check out what everyone else got and head on over to Stacy's blog to see what she received from me! 

Back to School Night!

Tonight is Back to School Night at my school!

Here's a little peek into my classroom and some of my prep work to give my classroom a little polish:

**Please note that none of these boards are completely done... all of it is a work in progress! Also, I would not have slept last night if i had done this all by myself! A BIG HUGE THANKS to my classroom aides and to my hubs who helped me cut out all you see in the tub pictured below! 

Also, today we celebrated Johnny Appleseed Day! 

Ignore how tired i look and check out the cute hat!

More on this in another post! 

This is Mrs. Simone Appleseed signing off... 

Apples & Spice

Alright, so there was a bit of a blog break that was not intentional. It's just i got pretty busy and well, you dont need excuses! The important thing is i am back! 

Today i am linking up with Michelle over at The Vintage Apple for Oh How Pinteresting! Wednesday 

&
with Kailyn at Wandering Free

This week my theme kind of picked me... it's not quite Fall like weather (more about that in a post soon) here in So Cal, so we have to improvise! Two things that remind this gal of Fall are cinnamon and apples! So, here are my pins from the last week or so! 

Cinnamon 

Source: aliceandthemockturtle.blogspot.com via Simone on Pinterest

These look delicious! 

Source: abitchinkitchen.blogspot.ca via Simone on Pinterest

Um cinnamon AND pumpkin... count me in!!! 

Source: buddingbaketress.blogspot.com via Simone on Pinterest

Wow! Who knew that could happen!?! Gingerbread and snickerdoodles in one cookie?! And the names are soooo cute too: Snickersnaps or Gingerdoodles! Aww!

Source: lovintheoven.com via Simone on Pinterest

Snickerdoodle Blondies ... mmmMMMmmmm! 

Source: creationsbykara.com via Simone on Pinterest

Snickerdoodle Cinnamon Bread 

And now it is time for the apples... 

Today my class will be celebrating Johnny Appleseed Day! Here are my pins: 

Source: youtube.com via Simone on Pinterest

Just a video to bring back a few memories! 

Source: acupcakefortheteacher.blogspot.com via Simone on Pinterest

We will be making these hats in black! Look out silly yearbook photos! 

Source: acupcakefortheteacher.blogspot.com via Simone on Pinterest

Some more ideas for Johnny Appleseed Day! 

Source: teacherspayteachers.com via Simone on Pinterest

Definitely using this tomorrow! Awesome freebie! 

Source: teacherkimbo.blogspot.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

Great Idea! 

I think that is all the apples and cinnamon i can take for one day! 

Hopin' you all had a great Fall Wednesday! 

What have you pinned? 

Is if Fall Yet?

Ok so this is random... it's completely random that i was planning and putting together a post that had to do with my Fall TV line up and then I discovered that Linny, Em, and Sarah all had that planned out for me for Random Thursday! 

Glad they did because i would have only got as far as researching it, especially since it is like still 100+ degrees out! It definitely doesn't feel like Fall unless there is new TV to watch. But anyway, there are so many clips, articles, behind the scenes videos, and more for so many new shows! I would have seriously gotten distracted enough to possibly skip the post! So here they are in a very specific order... well except within each category. 

Might Watch

OK so i am starting at the bottom.... here's the list of shows i might catch here or there. Not sure if they will be clogging up my DVR just yet, but who knows, one or two may spark my interest for a season or two! 

The Neighbors on ABC

The New Normal on NBC

Elementary on CBS

Definitely Will Try

These are shows that have peaked my curiosity! I am looking to add these to my DVR and excited to watch! 

Nashville on ABC

Best Friends Forever on NBC

Betty White's Off Their Rocker on NBC

Go On on NBC

And of course ... last but most definitely not least:

Can.Not.Wait To Watch

Modern Family

Grey's Anatomy

Parenthood

The Office

Whitney

Rules of Engagement 

OK so that is a lot fo TV... I admit i am kind of a junkie when it comes to fall season premieres. I can rememebr as early as junior high trying to figure out what we were gonna watch and learning all about new shows from THE NEWSPAPER! Yep, that's right folks, before the internet had all the info you could possibly find! 

So, what are you excited to watch this Fall? 

I'm so curious to know! 

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner....

Ok well maybe not a chicken dinner. But there sure is a bunch of stuff to give away to this winner! 

Congrats to Abbey of the Makings of a Mess! 

She won the 100 follower giveaway on this part of the blog world! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I will be emailing you soon Abbey! Congrats! 

Guess i better get to work! Gotta go get the right yarn, felt, and ribbon! Oh and a box to ship this massive giveaway!