Allow me to reintroduce myself...

Hi everyone!

I have taken a little break from blogging. Now I am back! I actually have been pretty darn busy these past few years. I had a baby who is now two years old, Violet. Then I had another baby in July 2020, Braxton. Life is a whirlwind, but I wanted to get back to blogging - It's fun and it helps me connect with other teachers and moms. 

Speaking of which, my teaching life has changed, too! I am still working at the same school, but I am now an instructional coach. I work with grades 2-6 on a daily basis, helping transform their teaching. It is SO different from being a general education classroom teacher, but really rewarding, too. Before I felt like I made a huge positive impact on my class of 20 students. Now I feel like my impact can extend even further through the teachers I work with. So, less kiddos are running up to hug me, but these days I'm okay with that. I don't know if it is my forever job, but I love working with teachers, creating curriculum, and being part of the decision-making process for how our school runs. But I will never be administration. Noway. Not me. 

A peek into our lives recently:

Welcome back!

Summer is over...for most of us!

Hi everyone!

Just an update from my life. Yes, it is time to go back to school, but I am taking child rearing leave during September and October this year. I had my second child, a son named Braxton Wilder, in July. He was 10 days late, so we didn't start off on the best foot. (Just kidding, but being 41 weeks pregnant was not cool in summer!) Anyway, I worked my butt off this summer, more than I ever have in my life, even after having Braxton, just so I could take a little extra time with him this fall. With a pandemic, I felt that it would be nice to let my school work out the kinks of scheduling and cleaning before I came back...plus I just needed more baby snuggles!

So, here I am, home with a toddler (Violet Harper is 2 and the best, most independent, smartest kid I've ever met) and a newborn. I'll also try to get back to blogging. But for now, some baby pictures to leave you with all the feels:

Just living the quarantine life...

Hi everyone,

We've been teaching from home since March 16 and just found out that New York schools will be closed the remainder of this year. While that's tough news to hear, being eight months pregnant with a two year old at home, I was a little relieved. I was nervous to go back to school and feel vulnerable or like I could be the person in my family to bring something home. So, I'm okay being sequestered away in my house for a few months, as long as we're all safe.

It is crazy though, being home all the time but still feeling like I have no time to do anything! I guess that's because I'm taking care of a two year old, going to doctor appointments, still doing my main job, which is instructional coaching, but also filling in as a maternity sub for a fourth grade teacher. There's a lot going on every day!

I hope everyone else is juggling all of their hats, too!

Why does my baby prefer dog toys?

Poor Lucy. My sweet bulldog puggle has this little human invading her territory. Although Violet has a sea of toys, she's started to prefer Lucy's toys, especially now that she can crawl all over. Violet will actually crawl over to where Lucy is chewing on a bone and take it! And Lucy just watches sadly! Lucy is SO patient and sweet with Violet! 

Maybe she's more tolerant now that Violet eats solids and tends to share with Lucy...

Does anyone else have sweet and funny baby-pet interactions to share?

State Testing - Try this short response resource!

Good morning!

We're in it. And by it I mean testing season. As an instructional coach, I'm helping kids AND teachers prepare for upcoming state assessments in New York. I made testing survival kits for my teachers - motivational coloring pages, secret parent notes for encouragement, testing treats, letters to the students for support, and these short response checklists!

I love using pens with my kids to color code their Restate, Answer, and two pieces of Text-based evidence. When they become automatic at it, they will write with one color and use different colored highlighters to check their response. It's difficult to get full credit on the written response without a strategy like this!

While kids can't use them on the test, they can use this leading up to the test and we can hope it sticks! I have several strategies - RATT, RATTS, RAPP, and RAPPS - depending on the strategy different teachers use in my school. What strategy do YOU use successfully for short response questions?

Click here for this resource!

Does Your Grocery Cart Look Like This?

Hi everyone!

My husband and I love to buy in bulk. We went to BJs after I digitally clipped 9 million coupons and filled not one but TWO carts! Violet was a real trooper as we filled the cart all around here. Now that we have this sweet little girl in our lives, it's easier to have a year's supply of everything than to ever run out!

Plus, buying 8 dozen eggs leaves plenty for make ahead egg cups, deviled egg snacks, and hard boiled eggs in our lunches. Can you tell we are full on keto dieters right now?

Make Ahead Egg Cups for a Healthy Keto Breakfast!

Good morning!

Since having a baby, I do every kind of meal prep that will save time! Plus, my husband and I are on the keto diet, so I need to meal prep minus carbs and sweets!

These delicious looking egg cups (I made cheddar, spinach and cheese, and buffalo chicken) took about 7 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to cook in muffin tins. I sprayed each tin with Pam like crazy and those little morsels of yumminess popped right out! Next, I froze them in ziplock baggies. Now I can just pop one in the microwave for a few minutes and have a healthy, delicious breakfast on the go!

If I can do it, anyone can! :)

Click here for the recipe!