Monday, September 3, 2012

Meet the Teacher MONDAY


It’s Open House Week on TBA this week and tons of bloggers will be linking up to share with you lots of goodies. Here is what this week holds:

Monday:
 Meet the Teacher- tell us all about you and your teaching style!
Tuesday:
 Classroom Photos
Wednesday:
 Handouts for Parents
Thursday:
 Bulletin Board Photos
Friday:
 FREEBIES!

Make sure you go to TBA and link up to participate and/or visit all the blogs participating in the FUN!

So, it’s Meet The Teacher Monday. I guess I will go through the “All About Me” spill even though you probably already know more than you want to about me and my hot mess life. I will try to throw in some new stuff. Brace yourself, it’s a long post. J

This is me. Well, this is me a year ago with my hunky hubs. Love him!

This is me now. Notice anything different? LOL. (This is Pointy Jr. and I in NYC a few weeks ago. Pay no attention to the messy hotel room. Three girls, enough said!)

I had lapband last summer and it was the best decision (other than forcing myself to get a personal trainer) that I have every made for my health. I have lost almost 70 pounds and even though I sometimes gripe and complain about my old lady hip and my hot mess hot flashes, I really feel the best I have ever felt in my life. This year is the first time ever that I have been able to sit comfortably on the floor criss-cross apple sauce with my kids. Ahhhthe little things that bring me joy!

I have been happily married for almost eleven years to my HS sweetheart, Nick. Well, I say we were HS sweethearts but we only dated a month during our Senior year and then broke upDRAMA! We did become best friends and two years later, wha lahe came to his senses he fell madly in love with mebwhahaha! Anywho, we got married when we were 21, the first of our friends which means that our wedding was a small fiasco. My friends still say it’s our fault for getting married when we were sophomores in college. LOL.

Here are my crazy sweet hormonal loving preteen/teenagers the first day of school last week. It's only been a week...feels like a month already! 
If you remember correctly, I just celebrated my 2nd annual 30th birthday so if you are doing the math, stop! We adopted. We have had our kids for about eight years. Our oldest started High School this year. I am so not ready for this! There was lots of kicking and screaming but then I calmed down, ehem. J I have PCOS but still wish, hope, and pray for a baby one day! J

I live in Texas so I do say y’all a lot. I don’t think I have an accent but I have been told that I am incredibly wrong, lol. Hubs has tried to move me a few times but I can’t be far from my family. I live a fourth of a mile from my sister and seven miles from my parents. My brother and his family moved to Oklahoma last year, which is way too far away, but we have tried to adjust. I talk to my sister EVERY day and couldn’t imagine it any other way. Between the three of us we have 11 children so you can imagine the fun we have when we are all together. No one sleepsfor real! 

I LOVE my school and have totally parked my trailer there. They will have to force me out kicking and screaming if they ever want me to leave. We live in a small town but I work about 30 minutes away. Hubs works about 45 minutes away. We won’t move because again, family. I also like the idea of my kids going to school with their cousins and going to the same school as hubs and I. J

My favorite color is glitter purple. I really love all bright colors in everything..my classroom, wardrobe, you name it. I guess I am a little sassy! I love to shop, get pedicures (I have the driest feet on the planet people!!), and go to the movies. Yes, I am a girly girl.  My favorite movie is Steel Magnolias. I love Meg Ryan chic flicks (pre plastic surgery Meg that is). I am scared of heights but I love riding all the rides at amusement parks. I LOVE to travel and went to Turkey four years ago...amazing! I hope to travel the world, though it will probably be with friends because hubs is a sissy (said with love) and won’t fly. Want to plan a trip with me? Though I work out, I don’t love it. I know, SHOCKER! I am 5’2”small fry. I think it’s funny when I meet people that they are surprised that I am short. I guess I sound tall. Haha! Oh, and I rarely tell people this, but if I grew my hair out (which will NEVER happen) I would be more than 50% gray. Seriously, I started going gray at 16. Lucky my hubs puts up with my high maintenance hair. I really am a simple girl though. I am totally not convincing you huh? I hate carrying a purse (which means I am always “misplacing” my bank card and hubs grounds me, lol). My make-up goes on in the morning and I never reapply. I like to accessorize but can’t handle jewelry but a few hours. It usually ends up in my car. I don't like clutter. I really like things simplebut sparkly. Haha!

That makes me laugh! That is something that my kids may have said this past year...though I do have friends here, ehem. I have been married to this blog for a little over a year. I think it will be “til death do us part” for it to end. Hubs used to be annoyed and thought I traded him for a more modern model,  but I have managed to squeeze this in without it affecting my life as much as it used to. I have way more in my head to share than time but what’s a girl to do. J When I am not a mom, taxi or hot date, ehem, I LOVE making stuff for my classroom. If I didn’t teach, I think I would want to be a writer or graphic designer so this allows me to do everything I love. I am one lucky duck.

Oh, I also love my church family. I just joined our worship band. Though I must be honest, my classroom voice is TERRIBLE! There must be Godly magic in the microphone at church because I can rock some KLove songs. J I love me some Hillsong. J

Okay, I am sure that is WAY more than you wanted to know about me. Tomorrow is show your room day but I have already done that. I will think of a different spin on that. I hope you go by TBA and meet all of the teacher authors. I had the privilege of meeting many of them this summer and they are such AMAZING people! Have a great week friends. FOUR DAYS! You can do it!!

Oh, one more thing. I have been getting lots of emails about Writer’s Workshop. I am thinking about creating a WWS unit for TPT including a step by step guide. Would you be interested in that? It will take a lot of time but I will totally do it if y’all will find it helpful.

Now, it’s your turn. Leave me a comment and tell me something about YOU!

I love you more than my luggage! (What movie is that from?)

24 comments:

  1. Steel Magnolias . . . BOOM! I actually use that quote all the time and people look at me like I am crazy. Loved the post today Crystal!!

    Kelley Dolling
    Teacher Idea Factory

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  2. I loved getting to know you more! I wish I lived closer!

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  3. Kelley, you get a gold star!

    Thanks Laura! :)

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  4. Loved your post today! It was like you came alive and I could hear you telling a story through the screen.

    You look fantastic! Love how the best part is the small victory of sitting comfortably in the classroom. Keep it up!

    I'm the same way, couldn't imagine moving across the country away from my family. They mean too much to me.

    Glitter should definitely be a color. It is by far my favorite! Pinterest has really helped me increase my glitter obsession!

    I have never "seen" Steel Magnolias. When I attempted to watch it, I started at midnight and fell asleep. Movies always put me to sleep even in the theatres. I will have to attempt to watch it again because it seems to be a favorite of a lot of people so it must be good.

    I also hate jewelry. It is great at first and then I can't stand it. Love how pretty it looks on the shelf though.

    A new fun fact about me is that I am obsessed with painting my nails and I always paint them to go with the holidays and themes that I am teaching.

    Pixy Stix and Teacher Tricks

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  5. I love this post!! You are awesome :) I'm from Boston (Bah-stin) and I don't think I have an accent either.... I hope I don't. A southern accent is way cuter!

    Susan
    T.G.I.F. (Thank God it's First Grade!)

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  6. Great post!! Loved learning more about you!!

    Nancy
    Joy of Kindergarten

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  7. Enjoyed reading your post. I am from the south too..Alabama. I don't think have an accent either until I hear myself on a video.. It makes me wince to listen to such a sound and I have to face the "music" of my southern twang!

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  8. You look absolutely amazing!!! Way to go girl! I loved reading all about you! You're so fun and down to earth at the same time! I guess that's why I love your blog so much, it's like spending time with a good friend! What a wonderful family you have! Family means everything to me too!

    Karyn
    Kideducator@comcast.net
    Aisforapplebisforblog.blogspot.com

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  9. Yes please! A Writer's Worksop guide that included a yearlong look at potential units of study and lesson plans would be amazing. :)

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  10. I love reading your blog and getting to know more about you! You look amazing!! I too could never move far from family. My mom is 5 min from me and one of my brothers is about 10 mins... My other 2 siblings live in other states :( there are 5 kids in our family with 11 grand kids and 2 on the way... We have so much fun when we are all together.

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  11. This was a wonderful post. I loved getting to know you. I can't wait to see what you have in store for tomorrow. ;)

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  12. Krystal,
    You are an amazing, wonderful woman! I just loved learning about you and all about your life. I can hear your voice in my head as I read the text and it reminds me of what a special friend I made in Vegas. You are the best... You have accomplished so much and I can't wait to see what happens next.
    Fran Kramer

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  13. Crystal,
    I love reading your blog! This was a a fantastic post to learn more about you. I consider you a total Rock Star of Blogland! Hope you have a wonderful week!
    Amy

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  14. Oh.My.Goodness. I want to spend all day with you! I loved reading your post!! And congrats on your LapBand success! Because I love you so much, I want to say to keep an eye out for your health throughout your journey with the lapband, my cousin recently got hers removed because it was infected and her doctors didn't realize it until it was almost too late! YOU LOOK AMAZING! Congratulations on your progress, I can't wait to see next year's picture!
    Oh, and one thing about me... I am also married to my computer! lol
    Vanessa
    Kindergarten Schmindergarten

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  15. You are just too cute Crystal! I loved reading all about you:) You look AMAZING!!

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  16. Crystal,

    I loved hearing more about you. You are awesome and I love your blog. I would be VERY INTERESTED in a Writer's Workshop guide for kindergarten. I actually just rewatched your presentation at Everything Kindergarten because I wanted to feel inspired again to get my writer's workshop up and running.

    Thanks!
    Ann

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  17. That is what Clairee says to Weazer in Steel Magnolias. I say that to my kids all the time and they laugh...
    Congratulations on losing all that weight - you look fantastic. I too do not LOVE (won't say hate...) to work out so I find myself not doing it nearly as often as I should.

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  18. Love, love, love! You do look great! You are a beautiful woman...congrats. I met you on the Everything Kindergarten workshop and I can honestly say you inspired me so much from just that one experience...Been stalking, I mean following ever since! PLEASE consider a Writer's Workshop guide. I teach PreK and love the whole process, but need help. Gonna stop now...don't want that head to get too big!!!

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  19. I loved your post too. I also love your blog. I enjoy reading these personal stories about other teachers. It makes you feel that "you're not alone". My mom recently passed away in June and I had our 2nd baby on August 15th so I feel that the quote "Miss Truvy, I promise that my personal tragedy will not interfere with my ability to do good hair." totally fits my life right now. I love that movie too and could watch Sleepless in Seattle or When Harry met Sally every day for the rest of my life. I also am a huge fan of the Golden Girls and Designing Women. Thank you again for all you do to make this blog happen. I love looking in my in box nd seeing that their is another post from you!!

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  20. I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to purchase your WW step by step guide from TPT! My fave color is glitter too and my classroom is covered in bright colors. I am also 5'2" and have PCOS. We've been trying for 4 years and also hope for a baby... maybe!!

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  21. loved your post. way to go for getting healthy! losing weight is so difficult and SO easy to gain. congrats!! you look great :)

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  22. I would love a unit on writers workshop! I have enjoyed what I have and it is right beside my lesson planning stuff! Would you to see you present it!

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  23. I would love a unit on writers workshop! I have enjoyed what I have and it is right beside my lesson planning stuff! Would you to see you present it!

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  24. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to buy your unit on WWS!!!! Please let me know as soon as it's available!!!!

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