December fun

December is always busy, and filled with fun activities! Yesterday was the last day of work for 2012. I am SO looking forward to the break. I still want to try and be productive though, and get ready for the second semester of the school year. But I'll take a week off. :)

We celebrated a friend's birthday at work by decorating her door and blockading it with balloons. I wish I could have seen her (and her kids) break through. It looked awesome. Great idea, Ari and good job on decorating!

Happy Birthday Joanna!

Lately all I've been wearing are the Dowdy shirts I bought a couple of weeks ago. They are just so comfortable and the designs are so cool! Here is a drink coaster from Ari for my Christmas gift. I love it!

I have that fox print on my shirt too!

At school the kids have been going crazy over poems! From haikus to alliterations, they have been working hard on their poetry folders. I can't wait until they are finished! I want them to show their parents at Open House in March. They love it so much and want to type it any chance they can get. So far we have learned haikus, rhyming peoms, acrostics, alliterations, and limericks. One of my students has already finished typing 9 of her poems! For one of her poems (a haiku) I clocked her at 35 seconds and that's including me editing it! I love how much they are into poems. I loved poems so much as a child. I still do.

I remember one poem in particular when I was in elementary school my teacher read:

The Dream Keeper

Bring me all of your dreams,
You dreamer,
Bring me all your
Heart melodies
That I may wrap them
In a blue cloud-cloth
Away from the too-rough fingers
Of the world. 

Langston Hughes

When I first heard it, it made such an impression on me for some reason. I think I was in 1st grade, but I knew what Langston Hughes was trying to say and it was so vivid in my mind. 

Here are their winter limericks!

Our holiday party was a blast. My room dads did a great job setting everything up and organizing the craft and food. Room dads are the best!

Gingerbread cookie decorating!

Snowman craft. The kids used mini sledge(hammers), dowels, wood glue, and screw drivers. Only with room dads would this happen. :) It was so funny seeing them hammer the dowels in. The kids LOVED it.

Good eats :)

I have to say, the parents this year are so generous. I had a fabulous birthday thanks to my room dads and the parents getting me flowers. For Christmas I got chocolates, gift cards, scents/lotions, and two of my favorites, Anthropologie and cookies! These are famous cookies, bloggers. I used to have her son my first year of teaching and she was a chef. She makes the BEST cookies. Sadly, she said this is the last year she is doing this. :(

On the left: My very cute measuring spoons from anthropologie, and the famous cookies.

I'm guarding those tin of cookies with my life.

There is more December fun to be had and posted about, so check back for the DIY anthro inspired craft my friend and I made. It was so worth it!