12-12-12 Linky Party

I'm excited to join up with Hadar and Kristin for this linky party! What a fun way to recap the year. 

Here it goes...

12. Favorite Movie(s)

 My husband and I don't go see movies very often, but we do enjoy going to the Santa Barbara International Film Festival every year. Last January one of our favorite parts of the festival was the animation short films. We saw

 Last year we saw The Gruffalo, I'd heard of the book but never read it before. I'm so glad I finally heard the story!

11. Favorite TV series

My favorite "I just got home from school and want to sit down for a few minutes show" is

I've probably seen every episode of Friends multiple times, but I just love it!

10. Favorite Restaurant

Rooney's Irish Pub- I think the little door for leprechauns is so cute! And the braised short ribs-- yummy!

Jeannie's has amazing eggs benedict and at lunch a chicken quesadilla with tropical salsa. Going there today for lunch!!

9. Favorite New Thing I've Tried

My favorite new thing that I thought of this morning is having doing pen pals at school. I've never done it before and it's so much fun. I signed up this summer through Kelley at Teacher Idea Factory. So far we've used some ideas from Kelley's packet. I will definitely do this again in the future. 

 My first grade class is pen pals with Mrs. Talley's class in Texas. You can check out here blog here

8. Favorite Gift I Got

In May we bought a new couch. A much needed new couch. One to replace our "could almost be on the ugliest couch in America" couch. To match it, my husband bought me this

Now I'm not sure if it's actually mine or theirs.

7. Favorite Thing I Pinned

Gosh, I'm not sure how to pick this one. So I'll choose from the most recent ones.

I used this in my Christmas Around the World unit this year. We participated in the Holiday Greeting Card Exchange that Jen hosts and were getting a card from Australia so this was a perfect craft!

My other favorite pins lately have been some outfits. I love these and have been able to get, or already had, most of the essential pieces to wear them. Yeah! New clothes! I really need some.

6. Favorite Blog Post

It would have to be the post that launched the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Alphabet Letter Exchange. It's such a fun project and I was so grateful to all who participated so that this could happen again. I enjoy it so much and my students do too! Check back again next July... I'm planning to do it again.

5. Best Accomplishment

Organizing the Alphabet Exchange this summer. It pushed me to learn some things about my computer programs that I did not know. It included over 100 teachers which far exceeded my expectations. Thanks everyone!

4. Favorite Picture

 The picture below of my husband and I near Sedona is definitely one of my favorites, but so are any of our two little furry babies.

Stevie and Selena

3. Favorite Memory

I've got to pick 2. I just can't choose.

The first is the trip my husband and I took last spring to Arizona. We went to Flagstaff and Sedona first, then on to Buckeye to visit our friends. Here are a few pictures.

near Sedona

I just love these rocks!

The second trip was with my brother to the Braun Family Music Festival in Challis, Idaho, this summer. Here's s picutre of the stage and the gorgeous mountains in the background. We saw several of our favorite bands, including Sons of Bill (who we'd never seen perform before) and we just loved it. Two days of great music! My kind of relaxation.

a view in Teton National Park where we spent a day on the way home

2. Goal for 2013

 Personal- to lose a little weight and exercise more. I typed that and thought, "Who doesn't have that goal?" I know some of you already are really good at getting exercise and keeping in shape, though. Feel free to leave any words of advice or suggestions for fun ways to exercise. I'd love to hear any ideas.

School- to create more activities for Daily 5 to keep my students interested in Work on Writing and Work on Words, and to update some of my activities and lesson plans so they fit the Common Core standards.

1. One Little Word

Creative

In 2013 I want to be creative in implementing Common Core standards. At home I'd like to work on some creative projects like finishing the clipboards I started for my fellow teachers and making some of the great things for home that I've pinned. 

I'm adding this just for fun. It's a picture of a magnet my brother gave me a few years ago.

 I love the Peanuts cartoons!