Caroline's Intro

Hi bloggers!

My name is Caroline and I am half of this new blog, A Tale of 2 First Grades!  I am really excited to start this blog and share what I do in my classroom!  Alison (my first grade blogging buddy) and I are ready to share our ideas with you.  We’re still new so please be patient with us.  We love technology but it doesn’t always love us.  She’ll post soon but she’s off in FLORIDA (I’m jealous) on vacation before school starts in 3 weeks…

I saw some cute getting to know you posts on some other blogs so I’ll join!  Hmm…how about a 10 things list! 

Ten Things About Me: 

1. My hubs and I have been married for 9 years and have a 2-year-old (used to be sweet as can be) little boy who has recently turned into Tasmanian Devil/tornado/occasional monster.  He is our world.  I know “it’s a phase” but 2 year olds are…fun.  (See pic above, LOVES choo choo trains)
2. I’m pregnant with our second boy due in the fall so hopefully this one isn’t such a wild child (start laughing at me!).  I’m WAY outnumbered, unless you count the dogs.
3. I just moved for the 6^th time in the 8 years I’ve been in my building.  I have a nice view out of my window now and a lot of work to do to make it look like a classroom and not a junk pile!  Pictures to come of that shortly.  
4. This is my 10^th year of teaching and my second year in first.  First grade is my home but I’ll always love kindergarten (where I spent 4 years).  I also taught pre-k, so if any of you are working with those little ones, bless you!  I loved them but it wore me out!
5. I am this close to being a reading specialist (I’m finishing my last class online right now!) and I take the test in the fall.  YAY!
6. I love teaching writing, it is my absolute love.  I’ve got some ideas to share so keep checking!
7. I’m trying to redo my classroom décor since I moved (love the B&W line from CTP, found cute stuff at Ikea, and Pinterest has me way inspired!) and I'm figuring out baby #2's room at the same time.  Yes I’m nuts and the hubs will agree with you!!!
8.  I love technology and am always trying to find ways to use it.  Any of you try Animoto or VoiceThread?  Try them.  Seriously.  More on that later.  I promise!  Oh, and don’t get me started on Pinterest!  Love.  It.  
9. I am obsessed with parenthesis.  I am sorry.  I can’t help it (it’s second nature).  I also run on with the … (the dot, dot, dot as my kiddos call them) so just tell me to quit!  It’s an addiction.
10. I am so glad to share my ideas and units with you.  Welcome to our blog and I can't wait to get to know you!

I just put my free download on Teachers Pay Teachers.  Check it out!  It's a packet of papers I send home with my students' parents on Open House (a.k.a.: Parent homework!).  It includes a parent contact and communication form, student info form, parent volunteer form, transportation form all included.  I put all of it in a binder and keep it by my desk in case I ever need to call a parent right away.  Let me know what you think!

Alison (our photographer!) is going to put up pictures from our adventure to Hobby Lobby!  I found some scrapbook paper that I can (hopefully) help my bookshelves look cuter!  Pics to come once I can get to the bookshelves hidden in my pile of stuff!