Another day late and dollar short...but worth the read, nonetheless!

So Fridays are always crazy for me! Not sure why,really but they are busy, busy!!!!

So here is my Five for Friday...and Free Font Friday posts all packed together into a late Saturday evening post!

I am happy to get back to blogging, with no courses to take this summer. There are so many great educators out there, with fantastic resources to share.  The Teaching Tribune's current linky parties are no exception.  Yesterday was Free Font Friday...

Although I do not create my own fonts...yet (but would love to learn), I am going to share one of my favourite resources...

Last summer, I found Deniece's website and she has some great fonts to use FREE (commercial use as well).  If you read her page of FREE FONTS, she shares her favourite fonts.  Please head on over to This Little Piggy Reads and check it out...don't forget to leave her some love!

This is my first week of summer holidays, and I actually went to work on Monday to clean up my room. I am so happy to not have to move rooms this year (or grades) and to be able to file reports and finish off my room in one day's work.  Of course, I still have some work to do to finish the cleaning at home...

The best part of summer is spending it with my favourite person...my 5 1/2 year old son! He is such a loveable, funny, kind little man, who makes me proud every day...and tests me sometimes too!  This is the first year he has been allowed to explore the neighbourhood a little. I am often torn between building his independence and being protective of him. So far he has been so good...following our rules and always checking in if his play takes him to new location.  He is having so much fun!

Summer days!

There is another thing I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE doing in the summer...READING!  The Saturday that marked the start of holidays, I text my past teaching partner to see how she was enjoying her first day at the cottage and told her, "I was thrilled to be reading a book without pictures!" 

What are you reading this summer?

I am also excited to be creating products to share with all of you. I have made things for my class this year, but nothing is ready to share yet. My TPT store only has a few things for sale and I have offered freebies on this blog (check out the most recent freebies here). Hopefully I will have more to share with you next week, but in the meantime, you can find the following by reading through this post AND checking out my TPT store - everything is still ON SALE!

Products ON SALE now...and freebies too!

Well, that is it for my week! Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!  I will be working away on my A-Z Write the Room pack this week, to practice our weekly letters and sounds (something I began with my class this year).  Is there anything you would like to see for Back to School? I would love to hear from you!  Head on over to Doodle Bugs {first grade rocks} to check out everyone else's five!

Five for Friday...late into Saturday!

It is Saturday (in fact it will officially be Sunday before I complete this post) but nonetheless, I have decided to join the Five for Friday.  I have a good great excuse for being late. I am recovering from my first week in kindergarten.  Keep in mind, this is not just my first week of the school year, it is my FIRST back to school week in kindergarten EVER!!!  

It has been an adjustment, but I am here to say, I think I am loving it! It is reassuring that the chaos will subside (maybe later than sooner) and eventually I will not be so exhausted by dinner time, and maybe I will not feel so anxious during dismissal time! But, other than that, I have really enjoyed them. I am excited for a great year!

That being said, I have given myself this weekend to rest and allow my body time to rejuvinete in preparation for the second week (and first 5 day week) of the school year!

Now, on to my Five for Friday...

1) First Day of Kindergarten...X2

Tuesday was the first day of Senior Kindergarten for myself and for my son. Needless to say, we both had the 1st day jitters, but we both survived and had a good day. In fact, as I pulled the car in my driveway, he was yelling and waving, "My 1st day as a senior was awesome!" Bless his heart, I love that little guy of mine! 

2) No child lost!

My biggest fear, coming into kindergarten was losing a child. I mean, we all know, not every child is going to come to the door first day wanting to be there. My little guy loves school, yet "grandma" says that he still put the brakes on as the approached his entry door, reluctant to go in!  With nearly 100 kindergarten kidlets registered at our school, we came up with a plan to help us ensure that they all ended up where they belong. This was especially important on Thursday, when our brand-new JKs began. We colour-coded our rooms, linked each room with a symbol and created kindergarten star tags. 

These "Kindergarten Tags" were put on at recess
and one of the little guys in the blue room wears his
so proudly; coming back in to get it, even after the routine was established

3) Hi, my name is Jackie and I am a Melonheadz Hoarder!

I am proud to say that I love, love, love Melonheadz Illustrating and am thrilled to become friends with Nikki. She says she laughed aloud when I told her she was like a celebrity, but how many of you would agree?

What do you think? Is it true? Take a look through my blog posts for confirmation! :)

4) Appreciation and Special Relationships

I am very happy that my little man has such a special bond with his teacher (and also that he was able to be in her class for a second year). She is so kind, so dedicated, so knowledgeable and an all-around-amazing-woman!

This week, I received this note from her!

 5) Moving Date...postponed!
I have been wanted to go see The Butler! I think Forest Whitaker is a phenomenal actor and think it will be a powerful movie! So, the plan, to celebrate "Surviving Week 1 of Kindergarten" was to go see the movie with my good friend, and teaching partner. I was worried I would be too tired by Friday, but we made it out, after all! Unfortunately, after chatting over dinner I looked at my phone and realized, there was no way we would make it to the theater on the other side of town to see the final showing of "The Butler" in time. And so we wait...the good news is, I already have plans to celebrate "Surviving Week 2 of Kindergarten!" ;)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend...what is left of it! Don't forget to check out others week at Doodle Bugs Five for Friday!

Where did the time go?

The week quickly got away from me! I can't believe it is already Friday again! I was planning to post throughout the week, but since it is still summer, I couldn't decide what to write about, so while I thought it over, I lost track of time and now it is Friday again. 

As I stalked the many blogs I follow, and saw your beautiful classrooms. I was thinking about setting up my classroom. Unfortunately, I do not have a classroom YET. Our school is under-construction and they are still in demolition mode. Although I am still hopeful that we will be in for the first day of school, I am thinking I will be teaching out of the library and doing a lot of outdoor activities. 

In the meantime...

Thanks Kacey at Doodle Bugs Teaching

1) A Kid in a Candy Shop

My "husband" (almost 7 years together but no "official" wedding...but that is a whole other story) loves cars! All kinds of cars! He lives and breathes cars! Seriously! Well my car-guy, just got a new job working at Hyundai (where we recently bought a brand-new family car). Not even two weeks at this new job, and he is calling me to come in to do the paperwork, so he can get a car.  

We have been down to one car for a couple of years now, to save money, as his work at the last place (a small car detailing shop which he loved, but it was only seasonal) slowed down a lot in the off-season and he worked only part-time for a friend.  So with this new, full-time work, I was eager to save money, pay down some debt and all that "fun stuff" but instead we are getting a second car.  Don't get me wrong, it has its advantages, especially since I work 40 minutes out of town, but I have to laugh, giving a car-guy a job at a dealership, is like putting a kid in a candy shop!

This is the car he has chosen - Hyundai Genesis

2) Swimming Lessons...

So my 4-year-old loves the water! When a heat-wave hit us late last month, we went out and got one of those large size kid pools for the neighbour and ourselves. I think the one day, he was in from 9 am to 5 pm - making a career out of it! I would like to say that he loves to swim, but that wouldn't be the complete truth, he actually likes to play around in the water.  When we go to my friend's and hang out in her "big pool," he spends most of his time on the stairs! He has some anxiety and gets really nervous about things, but we couldn't have him nervous about water. We live on Georgian Bay, and his grandpa has a boat.  Knowing how to swim is a must! However, his anxiety sometimes gets the best of him...the best of us...so, when the opportunity came up for private lessons, with someone he trusts, I took it! 

Meet Jazmin, my "little sister." She isn't actually my sister, she used to be the little girl I babysat, beginning when she was 3 years old. We have been so close ever since. Well, now she is 22 years old *sigh* and she is an amazing, loving, sweet young lady and my son just adores her! We got talking about his need for lessons, but how nervous he gets, and being as though she is trained to be a swim instructor and a lifeguard (there isn't anything this girl can't you), I realized this is the perfect opportunity to get some real swimming lessons in. Last night was his first lesson, and he did great AND she was wonderful with him! Seriously! 

3)...and Sisterhood

So above, I introduced all of you to Jazmin and told you how great she was with my son, Hayden and how much he adores her! Well, I could go on and on forever about this girl, and her lovely family, but since this is only #3, I will try to keep it short. Jazmin has been accepted to teacher's college and starts in a couple of weeks. I am so very happy for her! She is going to be a fantastic teacher and students, parents and her staff are going to love her! She is always telling me that I was meant to be a teacher, that it is in my blood and the same goes for her! Not only is she on her way to becoming a teacher, but I get to carpool with her every day and live the adventure (again) with her! I am so thrilled! On top of that, a very good friend, and past-university-roommate has made the decision to return to school to become a teacher as well. So in the spirit of beginning teaching, I am linking up with Ash at The Polished Teacher for her Student Teaching Linky Party. 

Click on image to enlarge!

Head on over to The Polished Teacher to join the Linky Party and help our new teachers get off to a good start! 

4) Miracle Treat Day

Yesterday was Miracle Treat Day at Dairy Queen, where all of the proceeds from Blizzard Sales went to help Sick Kids Hospital. Not only is it a great cause, but also a great excuse to treat yourself to some delicious ice cream. Well my boy and I made an event of it! It is important to me that he understands how good his life is. We do not have designer everything, we do not go on luxurious holidays, or own our own home (yet) but he is happy, healthy and spoiled rotten (with love and toys) by all his family. We talk often about how everyone is not as lucky as he is, and how we can do just little things to help, such as contributing to events like this. Well, I think he gets the picture, because here he is with fists full of change to donate. Not to mention how fun it was to race the coins in the fun "machine." 

 

5) Organization and Preparations

I may not be able to get into my classroom, but I have begun the preparations for the September start up...I am just doing it at home.  We have moved some things around and gotten rid of some furniture and brought in some new (to us) items over the last few months (honestly more than a few months, but who is counting...) and the result is chaos. My mission is to organize the chaos, that that when I return home from the chaos that will be my classroom at the beginning of the year, than I will have some sense of order in my life.  

Image from Organizing Solutions

Wish me luck!!!

Wish me luck! So far I have only managed to keep up on the day-to-day chores and organize 1/10 of my son's toys! If you know my son, you know that is quite a feat in itself! Now to keep going! Good news is, my brother is planning to come visit, so it gives me more purpose and reason to stick with it! I will share some before and after pictures soon!

Thanks for sticking with me! If you have any organizing tips, or advice for new teachers to share, please comment below!

Yours in Friday Fun, 

Jackie (a.k.a. Ms. M)

Five for Friday! Five for Friday?

My first Five for Friday - thanks Kacey

So I figure it is still considered Friday, if I did not go to sleep yet! Right? Right! I am new to all this, so I wasn't going to join yet, but since I was able to figure out a few more things to create my blog, I thought...why not!

1) Welcome to Growing Kinders

I am now officially a blogger. I am excited about this new adventure and thought now would be as great a time as anything. If nothing else, I can document my adventures over my first year in Kindergarten, since my student teaching days! I look forward to meeting new friends and learning so much more!

2) Love of Learning

I have a SERIOUS love of learning! I feel at my best when I am learning something new, and surprisingly, this is something that I just discovered about myself. Just this week, I completed my Specialist in IT (mentioned a few times, I know) and I did well on my assignments. After completing an assignment, I was eager to share with anyone who would listen, and would even call my mom when I would receive assessment feedback. A lifelong student for sure!

Even this blog, I have been teaching myself how to make banners, and blog buttons (thanks to tutorials). Have I mentioned how much I love Goggle bloggers and YouTube? 

3) Meeting New Friends

Sidney at Teaching is a Gift

Nancy at Joy of Kindergarten
and Uniquely Yours Blog Designs

I have already made a couple of new friends in the blogging world. Thank you to Sidney at Teaching is a Gift, for being my first follower and welcoming me to the world of blogging. I am so happy I came across her blog and her page full of Canadian bloggers. I was especially excited to find Ontario bloggers in Kindergarten, who would understand my "Ontario curriculum" and "FDK" and "DECE" talk - especially as a new FDK Kindergarten teacher. Thank you Sidney!

Secondly, after finding Nancy at Joy of Kindergarten and Uniquely Yours Blog Designs and More, and discovering she was a talented blog designer and digital artist - an area I recently started to explore - I messaged her on Facebook about her tools and got feedback right away! Wow! So supportive. I am eager to learn even more! Thank you Nancy!

4) Teacher Love

At this time of year, as Back of School approaches (and have begun for so many), there is always "teacher love" - people graciously sharing with each other and having giveaways and contests, which all provide a feeling of hope and excitement, on top of the pile of freebies. 

However, I want to speak of the hope and gratification I feel from people coming together to support others. It warmed my heart, when Michelle at Fabulous in First wrote that her fund-raiser for the DeWitt family raised $10 000. With all of the negative press you hear all over the media, how reassuring it is to know that strangers will come together to help others. It isn't the first time I witnessed this wonderful teacher support, but each time it reminds you of the good in people. So, even though I played such a minor role, I want to thank everyone who donated items to Michelle's fundraisers (that I am eager to use) and to all those that took the time to help the DeWitt family.  I wish them all the best in their time of need! Also, thank you so much to My Cute Graphics for this sweet Thank You image and all your other great graphics!

5) My Cooking Skills 

First of all, I have to tell you that I do NOT cook! I mean, I can cook to survive, but I am not above turning my 4 year-old son's grilled cheese over on his plate, so he doesn't see the side I burnt. Yikes! but, now I have discovered the secret...the "magic pot."

See that rectangular stoneware pot above, with the lid. It cooks meals in record time, in the microwave! That's right, the microwave!! I can now make meals that make it look like I know what I am doing in the kitchen! If you haven't seen it in action, I highly recommend finding a consultant near you and put together a party. I went to a few before I actually got the "magic pot" and as of now, I have had fajitas, chicken parmesan soup, a lemon chicken and tomato summer salad, regular chicken breasts, bacon stuffed meatloaf, and corn on the cob! Seriously! So good! I can't wait to get more! 

and since it is definitely not Friday anymore...Happy Saturday everyone!

Yours in "Linkiness,"

Jackie