Catching Up is Hard to Do-oo...

So, I remembered I had a blog today.

 

Not even kidding.

 

I was home sick from school because I've had an awful stomach flu. I started to finally feel better this afternoon... so I got on the computer.

 

And, I was like "Oh yeah! My blog. Wow, it's been a loonnggg time since I posted on there!"

 

And then I fell asleep.

 

But, I'm awake now and it's icing like crazy outside and fingers are crossed that we will not have school tomorrow!  Why is it that you feel so much more cozy on nights when it's freezing and sleeting and snowing outside? Because, I feel pretty dang cozy right now.

Anyways, I went to post some pictures... and my picture upload bar is missing? I looked into this (read: I googled it) and apparently this is happening right now? On lots of people's blogs? Is it happening to you, too? It's seriously irritating, I'll tell ya' that.

So, since I can't post any new pictures and update you on what's been going on (don't get excited: the answer to that is pretty much nothing), I'm going to take this chance to post some pictures from Matt and Blakley's wedding via Facebook. The pictures finally came in and they are GORGEOUS! And, I wanted to do a post to share them so... now's as good a time as any, right?


Look at the bride and smile!

 

Our new family!

 

The Ridings Clan
 

Blakely and Abby


I'm horrible at the "Be Carefree and Crazy" shots!

Seriously adorable :)


Wedding Party




Matty and I


Getting ready...


Rehearsal Dinner


They were so proud of this one :) They talked about it all night!


Holding hands, but not looking at each other :)


Picture of the Parentals


Guys, how cute is my mom?


Three Generations

Okay, that's all I've got. Hopefully Blogger will fix these shenanigans and I can post again soon! As always, thanks for reading!
 

Anchor Down

 

So, I don't know if you follow SEC football.

 

If you do, you know that for YEARS Vanderbilt has been the joke of the conference.

 

Well, not any more.

 

Thanks to this guy right here:

Vanderbilt Football is an exciting thing!

 

Don't believe me?

 

-They currently hold the longest winning streak in the SEC - 7 games.

 

-They had their first 9 win season since 1915!

 

-They attended 2 bowl games in 2 years. (Stop laughing, that's never happened before!)

 

-They beat 7 SEC teams this year. And, I've heard all the "They only beat those teams because they're not as good." Well, um, isn't that the point? You're SUPPOSED to beat teams that are not as good as you. And they did. They used to get beat every year to teams like Ole Miss and Auburn and Tennessee and now they beat them. So, what's the problem? And, just saying, they played Florida and USC VERY close!

 

-They beat UT for like the second time in 28 years. This in particular feels good because, I'll just say it, I hate UT. Their players are thugs. Living in Nashville, I've always had to hear how UT was so superior. It's been fun to have a successful year at the exact same time UT self-imploded. It was awesome yesterday after Vandy's win to hear all the UT fans calling in to the radio stations upset. Before, they didn't care enough about Vandy to even waste their time. They care now. I love it!

 

-They have a top recruiting class next year for the first time ever.

 

It's especially exciting because we're not fair-weather fans. I've been going to games since I was a kid. Games where the stands were half empty. Games where Vandy found a way to lose again and again. Games where there were a LOT more fans for the other team than for the home team. Games where we couldn't give our extra tickets away.

 

 

It's all thanks to James Franklin. He's a fiesty, fun guy with a football-field sized personality. And, he's done something that no other Vanderbilt coach has done: he's made people believe. He made the players believe. He made the students believe. He made the fans believe. He made Nashville believe.

 

 

He's got people, young and old, throwing up the "VU" gang sign on the streets of Nashville, for crying out loud.

 

Yesterday, we went to the Music City Bowl to cheer them on. We were all really dissapointed that the game was in Nashville... because, honestly, the fun of a bowl game is to travel.

 

But, looking back at it, I think it was perfect.

 

It was awesome to see 55,000 people at the game. And, NC State probably had about 5,000 people there. It was all Vandy fans and that was really fun.

 

We left the house at 7 because it was of upmost importance that we be at the "Player Walk." I don't really know what it's called... but, we line up and yell and the players and coaches walk through on their way into the stadium.

 

Matt and Blakely came with us. Blake's a huge UT fan, but we're trying to convert her. Otherwise, their future kids will be so confused...

 

My dad was so cold he refused to smile. But, FYI, he's the biggest Vanderbilt fan there is. He doesn't miss a basketball or football game.

 

The Commodore led the way!

 

Then came the band, playing our fight song "Dynamite."

 

The players walked through looking sooooo serious.

 

 

 

Coach Franklin

 

Our seats were in the endzone, which I don't love. It's hard to see what's happening on the field from that angle! Luckily, LP Field has some new massive screens to help you out :)

 

We all discovered it's impossible to use your iPhone with gloves on... so we got a little creative - ha! It was so cold. It sleeted for half the game. The guy behind me said "It's raining Dippin' Dots right now!" and everybody died laughing because it honestly looked like it was!

 

 

After they won, the whole team ran over to the student section and sang the alma mater and the fight song.

 

 

It was a really fun day and a perfect way to ring in the new year!

 

I'm so proud of Vandy and their hard work this season.

 

And, just because I love it, I'll end this post with my favorite Vanderbilt football YouTube video. It's worth watching: trust me :)

 

 

Go Dores!!



'Twas the Week Before Christmas...

One more day and I am officially on Christmas Break! It's so exciting, I have to say.

 

I have a few random things to share, mostly about school. I just want to get this stuff on here because I won't want to come back and do it after Christmas and I know it will be a mad dash the next few days.

 

Last week, my kids finished their persuasive writing projects. They worked sooooo hard on them and I think they did great!

 

First, I had the kids research a pet they wanted and a pet they didn't want. They made lists of facts and opinions about both pets.

 

We've been using the following poster to write paragrahs for some time.

 

 

I didn't come up with this. I found it here. I love it because it's simple and the kids seem to really understand it. I usually have them even underline each sentence in green, yellow or red to help them out.

 

So, to guide them a little, I created this little tool to help them write their paragraphs. They wrote the first paragraph aboout the pet they wanted and the second paragraph about the pet they didn't want.

 

(I can NOT get this to turn around! UHHH! You'll just have to use your imagination...)

 

After they wrote both paragraphs, we used the following poster to edit and revise them both independently and with a peer.

 

 

I found this poster here. I LOVE it! I've used CUPS for years. But, I've never found a great way to explain the difference between editing and revising. The kids seemed to really understand this and they did a great job of helping each other make their writing better. Another fun thing that I'm finding out third graders can do!

 

Next, they wrote out their persuasive letters. When they were done, I let them make their pets out of paper because... well, it was Friday. Why not?

 

 

 

It was time consuming. They literally worked on all this for 2 and a half weeks. But, they turned out great and I can tell they're improving in their writing all the time. So, it's all good :)

 

Fast forward to this week. We've had soooo much fun! We did a couple Grinch activitites yesterday. One thing we did was make Grinch similies. I did this with my first graders last year and since similies are a third grade skill, I figured why not do it again. The kids' favorite part? Oh, that would be drawing the Grinch. They were NOT. MESSING. AROUND. We have some serious artists in our class!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also did a fact/opinion activity with the Grinch.

 

In the afternoon, I had a parent come in and help me with this:

 

 

gingerbread houses!

 

Today, we had our class party and they got to decorate the houses! To say they had fun would be a major understatement. I looked up at one point and saw one little boy double-fisting candy into his mouth, another boy licking icing off his arm and a little girl with a knife full of icing (plastic, of course) hanging out of her mouth. Quite a picture, huh?

 

Free for all. That's what this was.

 

Decorating in progress...

 

 

Clearly the little Dears were just so timid about putting candy on their houses...

 

Ta da!

 

Okay, last thing. This sweet kiddo is Jackson.

 

 

He goes to my school. I'm friends with his mom. And, he pretty much adores Finley. He kept her for me some this summer so they are big buds.

 

Look what he bought her for Christmas!

 

Isn't that the sweetest thing ever? He made my day :)

 

 

He made her day, too. She's squeaking away on that chew toy as we speak.

 

Thank you, Jackson!

 

It's been such a fun week and I'm excited to give my kiddos their gifts tomorrow and watch the Grinch with them. Oh, and it's Pajama Day! And, pedicure day. But the kids aren't invited to that :)

 

Good night!



Silence for Sandy Hook