Currently August 2015

New month...new post.  Hahaha.

Time to link up again with Farley at 

for her Currently link-up.

Listening: Marriage Boot Camp is my guilty pleasure.  That's all I'm gonna say about that.

Loving: I LOVE teaching summer camp.  I really do.  But I am SO glad tomorrow starts my last camp.  I mean, it means my summer is over, cause we go back for pre-planning the following week.  But that's ok.

Thinking: I need to figure out what I'm doing for lunch tomorrow.  :-/

Wanting: My wanting never changes.  I want a million dollars...however I can earn it.

Needing: I brought boxes of stuff home to organize.  And I've only organized one.  Oh geez.  I need to get working on it.

B2S RAK: My school did the Capturing Kids' Hearts training over the summer.  And one of the things they talked about was writing notes of appreciation to those around you.  I am making it my goal to write a note for every member of my school family by the end of the year.

So, what about you?  Have you linked up?

Currently - July 2015

It's that time again...time for another Currently post with

So, here we go...

Listening: Center Stage is probably one of my favorite movies.  I was thinking about it earlier and decided to turn it on while I caught up on my blogs.

Loving: Officially, not counting weekends (or today), I have 12 days left of summer.  While that normally bums me out, I'm trying to remain positive.  12 is more than 10!

Thinking: We were going to reorganize the office, turn our middle room into a home gym, and paint our bedroom this summer.  And I was going to work on my tan and organize everything I brought home with me.  None of that has happened.  Oops!

Wanting: I would love to just sit at home and do nothing all summer and get paid.  Does anyone know of a way to do that?!

Needing: I still have 2 camps left this summer.  One I've taught before, so I just need to go through my stuff and get in the right mindset for it.  The other is brand new, and I literally picked it up last week.  The original instructor backed out, so I'm filling in.  I have no idea about this one!  Ahh!

All Star: I am a Master Procrastinator.  That's all that matters.  :-P

Also, if you ask anyone but my wife, I am really good at organizing things.  I like things to look a certain way, and be color-coded and just...sigh.  It's the way my brain works.

Can't wait to see what y'all are currently doing!

Currently June

It's that time again...

time to link up with Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade!

So here it is...

Listening: The wifey and I are rewatching Glee from the beginning.  We're currently in Season 2, on the episode where Sue's sister dies.  :-(

Loving: I have been trying to go to the beach for a while, but I have been crazy busy.  So I LOVE the fact that I finally got to go this past Saturday.

Thinking: I have a lot to do...ughh.

Wanting: Because I am the Resource ESE teacher, they are making me move.  :-(  I have to be out of my full-sized classroom and into an office-sized space.  I'm ok with the move (mostly), but I am stressing about getting moved out.  Anyone want to pack for me?

Needing: My first camp starts Monday...I just need one more day to pack up my room before getting ready for camp.

Summer Lovin: I think it's self-explanatory.  :-)

Can't wait to see what you all have going on Currently.  :-D

April Currently

It's that time again...time for another Currently post!

Farley over at Oh Boy 4th Grade hosts these link-ups every month...and it is definitely my favorite one!

So, here goes:

Listening: We're re-watching Glee from the beginning.  Right now we're on the "Hello" episode (the one where we meet Jesse St. James).  I love this show.

Loving: Spring break isn't over yet...hallelujah.  Enough said.

Thinking: I planned for next week before we left for Spring Break (yay for me being productive for once).  But I still feel like I should be working on something, organizing something, or something!  I'm not sure.

Wanting: We went to the beach yesterday and got sunburned.  So we probably shouldn't go back, but I really want to.

Needing: I am wanting to grow my TPT store.  And to do that, I have to have products.  Funny, huh?  So, I NEED to be working on that...but I need to find the motivation and the idea for products.

Eggs-plain: My blogname is pretty self-explanatory.  I am a teacher who loves ALL things Disney.  So...don't have to explain that.

So, my first name is Ryan.  I am one of 4 boys, and all of us have 'R' names.  My name was chosen because my mom knew someone named Ryan when she was younger, and has always liked the name.

Anyway, enough about me.  I'd love to hear about some of you!

February Currently

Yup, it's that time again...time to link up with

for her monthly Currently linky party.

So, here goes:

Listening: We were watching TV, but I was paying more attention to that than what I should've been doing, so we turned on Pandora.  And when I started creating my Currently "sheet", it was playing Swagger Jagger by Cher Lloyd, and write now it's Yellow Flicker Beat by Lorde.

Loving: Payday for both my wife and I was Friday.  I was so glad...January was rough.

Thinking: Normally, the first Friday of every month is happy hour for my school.  (Except we don't call it that...I got in trouble for calling it that...oops!)  So, we call it First Friday.  Anyway, most of us who usually go couldn't go this upcoming Friday, so we moved it to last Friday.  And we're allowed to leave about 20 minutes after the kids do on Fridays.  And so I did, which means I have no copies made for Monday...sigh.

Wanting: I have had the hardest time sleeping lately...which means I am super-exhausted almost every day.  It was much worse this weekend...so I would really love just one more day to sleep.

Needing: I have only planned ONE of my math groups and that's only for ONE day.  I have 6 reading groups (which are thankfully all planned for the week) and 3 math groups...but 2 of the groups are usually split within themselves between myself and my assistant.  I just can't seem to find the motivation to get planning.  Ahh!

Pageant Title: Boring...I know.  But I try really hard to be nice to everyone, even when we all know someone doesn't deserve it.

I'd love to hear from my y'all...please link up!

(Also...side note, in the time it took me to write all this...I'm not listening to Can't Hold Us by Macklemore...what can I say...I like lots of different music.)

It's January again...

That's right...it's time for another Currently post with

If you've never linked up before, go do it!  It's probably my favorite link up, and one of my favorite bloggers!

Anyway, here goes...

Listening: When I started this, I was listening to music by Eli Lieb.  But then the wifey got out of the shower so we turned on Big Bang Theory.  I love this show...but watching it back-to-back makes me want to hit Sheldon.  :-P

Loving: I am loving that I still have a few days left of break.  There are a lot of things I want to get done, and I have been busy up to this point.

Thinking & Wanting: I'm putting these two together because they go together.  I am thinking about everything that I need to get done the next few days, and I want to get off my keister and get it done.  I need to plan for next week and grade a stack of papers and clean out my middle room (full of stuff that I've brought home from work) and organize the office and rearrange the book nook and read a book (or two) and create my first book study.  Sheesh.  That's a lot to get done.

Wanting: I always want more money...but this time I would just settle for one extra paycheck.  :-P

Yes: I WILL lose weight this year.  My wife and I have even signed up for an exercise class at the school district's wellness center.

Maybe: After years of trying, the wifey and I have officially decided to adopt.  It's a "maybe" because adopting in Florida is crazy expensive.  So we're starting the process and just hoping to get through all of the steps as fast as possible.  That way prospective moms can start seeing us on the list.

I wish: FSA is our new state assessment.  Since I'm the ESE teacher, I'm not expecting Level 3 and up.  But I'm just hoping for some level 2s.  I also know that if my ESE kids are level 1s, then one or two of the teachers at my school are just going to eat that up.  I'd really like to just shut them up and prove that I do know what I'm doing.  Ughh.

Anyway, thanks for sticking out this long post!

Currently December

It's that time again...yup, time to link up with Farley for her Currently Link up.

So here goes:

Listening: My wife and I are trying to clear off our DVR from over Thanksgiving break (we were out of town), which means catching up on Ellen Show episodes.  I love Ellen...like, I would be one of those people who would cry just from meeting Ellen.  She might be my idol.

Loving: I'm super sad it's over already, but I love that we had a 5 day weekend.  It was just what I needed to rest and recharge before the crazy that is December.

Thinking: I had to change my schedule...again.  I'm so tired of all of this mess.  I wish people would pick something else to complain about other than my schedule.  Sheesh.

Wanting: My wanting kind of ties in to my thinking.  I would just like uninterrupted access inside certain peoples' brains.  I want to know why they think the way they think, why they feel the way they feel. (Do you know what movie that quote is from?  Haha)  For real though, I do want to know that.

Needing: It's past 10:00 here...which means I need to go to bed.  :-/

Giving: So...some advice that I think we, as teachers, need to hear every once in a while.  Elementary teachers teach math, reading, writing, science, social studies, penmanship, citizenship, manners, technology, and lots of other things.  That's a lot for anyone to keep track of.  We also have to remember, though, that we do not have to know everything about everything.  Pick one thing, and get really good at that one thing.  Then add another.  While you're waiting, ask for help.

I know the 3rd grade math standards like nobody's business.  I can tell you what our limits are and what we can and cannot be tested on.  And now, I have to learn 4th and 5th grade standards as well.  I know who in my school to ask for help.  I am slowly learning 4th grade standards, and once I have those, I will get 5th grade's as well.  But I am not going to burn myself out by trying to become the master at everything.  Not only do my students deserve better, but I deserve better.

Sometimes I think teachers have a constant need to be the best at everything.  We all need to remember that it's okay to not be the best at something.  It's okay to ask for help.  Isn't that what we tell our kids all the time?

Thanks for sticking out this long post.  Hope you all have a wonderful December!

November Currently

Time to link up with Farley over at

for November's Currently post.

So here goes...

Listening: I'm loving the new crop of shows this season.  They're all pretty good.  If you haven't seen Mysteries of Laura, you should think about it.  It's a cop dramedy with Debra Messing and Josh Lucas.

Loving: It's actually cold in the panhandle.  Well, for this weekend anyway.  :-P

Thinking: I need/want to rearrange some of my groups.  I'm up to 20 staffed ESE students, so the other ESE teacher is going to start helping me pull groups (she only has 7 staffed students right now).  I need to rearrange my groups and email some teachers.  I just have to think through some of the changes so they make sense and are effective.

Wanting: My wanting is always the same...money!

Needing: I should be working on work-related things.  Instead I'm on here, posting (which is much needed).  But then again, if I'm on here, then I should be catching up on the 3 (or 4) weeks of posts that I need to read.  We'll see what happens.

Reading: I get my 4th graders for an hour for reading.  So I start every day with a read aloud.  Right now we're in the middle of Love That Dog.  It is a book of poems that are all written by the same "author", Jack.  If you haven't read it yet, please do.  I really want to get the sequel - Hate That Cat.

Can't wait to learn more about you!

Currently September

 Well it's that time again...time to link up with Farley over at

for the Currently Linky Party.

So let's get to it...

Listening:

Pandora...on shuffle.  I always seem to be listening to Pandora when I do this.  

(The wifey and I were watching "Head Over Heels", but we had to stop so she could write an article for work.)

When I started this, Warrior by Paradise Fears was playing.  Right before I hit "publish" The Way Down by White Tie Affair was playing.

Loving:

It's Florida.  Which means that weather forecasts are just suggestions.  We have a very low chance of rain tomorrow, so if it's sunny when we wake up, we're going to the beach.  And I am feeling mighty pasty so I can't wait!

Thinking:

Tomorrow is the last day of my 3 day weekend.  And I have done NOTHING for school.  And I am so glad cause I needed it...but my next month is going to be crazy - we're Discovery Ed testing.  And as the ESE teacher I have to pull all of the ESE kids from 3rd-5th and test them in small groups.  Which totally messes up my schedule.  And I should be figuring all that mess out.  *sigh*

Wanting:

So, the wifey and I didn't get to go anywhere on vacation this summer...either she was working or I was working.  So we've booked a Disney vacation for the fall, and (you guessed it), we check in on September 20!  We're also going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party for the first time ever!  We're very excited.

Needing:

I need to go grocery shopping.  The first few weeks of school always throw me for a loop.

Three Trips:

Ok, so the rule was three places I'd love to vacation that I've never vacationed before.  The first is Paris.  We lived in Germany when I was little, and my older brother took a field trip to Paris.  I've always wanted to go.

The second place is New York City.  I have always wanted to see Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in person, and go to a Broadway play.  Plus my bestie lives in NYC right now being all lawyery and stuff.

And the third place is Italy.  I really didn't think anything about it before my wifey and I started dating.  It's on her bucket list and it has slowly come over to mine as well.

Well, can't wait to learn more about all of y'all.

August Currently

It's that time again...time to link up with Farley over at 

for August's Currently link up.

So here it is:

Listening: Currently we're watching Extreme Weight Loss.  The wifey and I love this show...we just need to put some of the practices into effect.

Loving: Essentially my summer is over.  I taught a summer camp this week, and then I have some pd next week, and then we go back for pre-planning.  So I am so excited it's Friday...I can't wait for tomorrow.

Thinking: I haven't really done anything for work...here's hoping I can get everything done that I need to to be ready.

Wanting: I want an extra week to just go to the beach, sleep in late, and watch movies curled up on the couch...alas, not so much.

Needing: My needing is the same...but I need it so I can actually work on things...not that I would.  :-P

1st Day: I go back for preplanning on the 11th.  And the kids come back the 18th.  I've seen a lot of teachers posting about how they only have a few days before the kids come back...I am so lucky that I get a week before the kids come back.  I just hope I'm productive.

Can't wait to see what's going on with all of y'all.

It's that time again...July Currently!

It's that time again...

time to link up with Farley for her monthly Currently Linky!

Listening:
Currently my pandora is on shuffle.  I generally stay on shuffle on Pandora.  I have a Lindsey Stirling station that I use at school...but other than that I just create a bunch of stations and then shuffle them.  When I started making my currently sheet, Like a G6 was playing.  Right before posting Roller Coaster by Luke Bryan was playing.  Told you...shuffle.


Loving:
My first week of summer vacation I taught a summer camp.  Then I had one week off, and then taught another week.  I am so loving that tomorrow I am setting my alarm to go running.  Then I can come home, shower, and go back to bed.   :-)


Thinking:
Now that June is over, I only have a month and a half until school starts.  There are so many things I want to do next year...I should probably start planning them.

Wanting:
I live near the beach...but I HATE going alone.  My wife is currently working retail (at a teacher supply store...haha).  And they are getting ready for back to school...which means her hours have dramatically increased.  Which means no beach days for me.  If I had a pool I could at least work on this tan (or lack of one).


Needing:
My needing and thinking are very similar...I need to find motivation.


4th Plans:
We're those people.  My dog's birthday is on July 4th.  She turns 6.  No...we're not throwing her a party.  But, we are going to celebrate it.  We actually just bought her bday presents and are hiding them in one of the other rooms.  (Told you we were those people.)

All of our friends that we normally celebrate the 4th with have moved away.  So we might go down to the river to watch the fireworks.  We might stay in our house and cry.  We haven't decided yet.  ;-)

June Currently

I love linking up with Farley for the Currently Posts.  If you haven't done it yet, please think about joining this month - click here

So...here's my Currently for June.

1. Listening - self explanatory right?  My cable is having issues, so we're having to watch SYTYCD on OnDemand...after watching the first 90 minutes DVR'd.  And of course, you can't fast forward with On Demand.

2. Loving - The next two days are our Post Planning Days...so no kids, and time to pack up my room.  Even though I have to set my alarm, at least there are no kiddos.  :-)

3. Thinking - Next year is going to be very different.  Teachers leaving and teachers changing grade levels.  Keep your eyes peeled for a future post from me about my changes.  Just thinking about it.

4. Wanting - a pool.  Obviously, since I live in Florida and it is crazy hot.  I just need a little bit more extra money to buy a pool.  And again, while thinking about next year, I want to know how things are going to work.

5. Needing - I NEED a pool.  And, as always, to win the lottery (especially to help pay for a pool.)

6. Summer bucket list - I do live in Florida, so I am close to the beach, I just don't go enough.  I gained 70 pounds after high school.  I've lost about 10 pounds of it...but I want to be high school skinny again (or close anyway).  I still need to really start training for a marathon, but since I'm putting it off until January 2016, I have time.  And I'm hoping to go to Disney this summer...we'll see.

May Currently

Well...I know I've been missing for QUITE some time.  And I'm back.  I'm going to try to set up a few posts to self-publish within the next few days.  I just get so overwhelmed sometimes that when I get home and actually have time, I just want to relax.  But I will get better at this...I will.

Anyway, with that being said, time to start with May's Currently.  If you've never done it, please visit Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade

Listening: I LOVE Pandora.  And I love that you can have so many stations and just put them on shuffle.  Which is what I do.  Cause my crazy likes all kinds of music and I like to hear different genres all within like 30 minutes.
Loving: I love my job.  I love my kids.  I love the teachers I work with.  But these past few weeks have been CRAZY...like full on cray-cray.  My room is barely hanging onto our sanity, so this weekend was much needed.  We have 13.5 days til school gets out, and my kids are feeling it.
Thinking: I always think I should be productive.  Except this weekend, I really should've been productive.  I am mostly planned for next week, so that's fine.  I already graded everything I needed to grade. (Yay!)  However, I am teaching 3 different summer camps this summer.  I'm only ready for one of them (luckily it's the first one).  But I am still not fully sure about what I have planned for that one.  I am also presenting at our district's Technology Summit this upcoming Saturday.  Am I ready?  Of course not!  Ahh!
Wanting: I still want to win the lottery...enough said.
Needing: I have a corner in my classroom that my wife affectionately calls The Bermuda Triangle.  Yeah...it's where things go to get lost.  It's also right behind my teacher table.  I don't have a desk, I don't have space for it.  So everything goes on the table, and then from the table to the floor.  I really need to get better at that.  And put things away as soon as I'm done with them.  I need to be as organized as people think I am.
Surprise: I know Farley did not mean for us to surprise her with our surprise, but she was the first blog I started stalking reading regularly.  She is so real in her posts, and makes you feel like she understands everything you have to deal with as a teacher (both negative and positive).  Thanks, Farley for being such a positive role model for all teachers.

January Currently

It's time to link up with Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade for her January Currently linky party.

 Here goes:

Listening: I love Will and Grace...so does the wifey.  So we are currently re-watching the whole series.

Loving: I have really needed a break from...well, everything.  So these past two weeks of staying up late, sleeping in late, and staying in my pajamas has been just what I needed.

Thinking: I brought nothing, NOTHING, work related home with me.  It has been wonderful!  But it also means I haven't done anything for work next week.  I planned for the next 9 weeks before break, so I know what I'm doing when I get back...but I still should've been more productive.

Wanting: I really want to win the lottery...enough said.

Needing: I'm planned, like I said, for the next 9 weeks.  But I still need to look over the next 2 chapters in math - fractions, yeesh!

Memory/Tradition: Every year on Christmas Eve, we would have a cookie party in my grandparents formal dining room.  It was the only time we were allowed in the formal dining room.  After the cookie party, my grandmother plays the piano while we all sing Christmas carols.  Now that I'm married, I alternate holidays with the in-laws, so I only get this every other year.  But I still force my wifey to sing carols with me every year.

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If you haven't yet, you need to purchase Farley's Currently for Your Classroom set.  I use it every month with my kiddos and we LOVE it!  Plus it gives me a quick glimpse into what they're thinking.

November Currently

So...yeah.  I'm sorry I've been a terrible blogger.  The four followers I do have are going to leave me soon...I just know it.

Anyway, time for November's Currently with Oh Boy 4th Grade!

Listening: My wife made shredded barbeque chicken for one of our church families.  She's currently shredding it right now.  It's a good thing I don't eat barbeque chicken or I'd be in the kitchen "helping".

Loving: I admit it...I take LOTS and LOTS of pictures and then forget to print them.  (for example, I'm still printing pictures from 2010)  So when Snapfish or Shutterfly has a sale, I usually print lots of pictures at once.  Well, Snapfish just had a penny sale (these sales allow you to purchase a print for a penny [plus S&H]).  And usually you can only order like 100, or sometimes 300.  This time...999!  And since 9 is my FAVORITE number, you know I had to order!

Thinking:  My thinking is what it usually is...I need to blog more.

Wanting:  I would love an extra day in the weekend...but then again, I always do.

Needing:  I have grad school assignments due this weekend.  So I should be working on them, but I'm just not.  Too much time picking out 999 pictures to print and I have lost the motivation.  Not that I ever had any.  *sigh*

A yummy pin:  Oh boy.  For real.  So last year, after hearing my kids talk about traditional Thanksgiving foods that they've never had, I decided to do a Thanksgiving feast.  One of the foods was Green Bean Casserole.  Now, I love me some green beans...but I HATE mushrooms so I had never eaten green bean casserole.  I made the following recipe (no cream of mushroom soup) and it is AMAZING!  Now I make it all the time for no reason!  One of my teacher friends tried a little bit, and loved it so much that I made her the happiest teacher ever when I made her some for Christmas.  Ahh the little things.

Anyway, here's the link: Grandma's Green Bean Casserole

I promise I have some great photos and things to share...I just need to force myself to sit down and do it!

September Currently

So it's that time again...time to link up with Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade for September's Currently.

Listening: Obviously...I'm on season 2 of Friends.  This is the episode where Ross and Rachel finally have their first kiss.  This is one relationship on a tv show that I was ALWAYS rooting for.  Always.  And Ross coming back to the coffee shop out of the rain is just a great scene.

Loving: Labor Day is one of those holidays that most people can't tell you why we celebrate.  But we still get the day off work to celebrate.  And I couldn't be happier.  For real, I didn't set an alarm last night...and it was amazing.  Yes, I mowed the yard and went grocery shopping today.  But at least I didn't have to set my alarm.

Thinking: It is past 10:00 my time.  Which means I should be asleep...or at least headed towards bed.  Instead I'm still updating this.  Oh well I guess.

Wanting: So Wal-Mart has 2 seasons of Friends packaged together.  Awhile back, the only one I could find was seasons 7/8.  I just bought the season 1/2 pack.  So now I'm missing all the rest of them.

Needing: I am grade level chair this year.  And Literacy Rep for our school.  And a Buddy Mentor.  And I have a new teacher on my grade level who doesn't get a mentor that I've been helping.  And I'm Hospitality Chair.  All of that to say, I was BUSY during the pre-planning week.  So I literally shoved stuff in drawers and cabinets.  I need to get organized.  I can't find stuff that I would normally have used and I had to recreate it.  Not cool.  Or fun.  I need to get organized.

Me: I get to work around 6:00/6:15 (our kids get there at 6:55).  And I stay until 5:00...every day.  Our kids leave by 3:00.  And then I bring home lots of stuff to work on.  I need to start leaving as much at school as possible.  I think if I get organized that'll help.
I am running a 10 mile race in October.  As in, around 30 days away.  And the most I've run is 4 miles.  Help me now.
I wanted this blog for a reason.  And yet I forget to blog.  I wanted this as a way to share my classroom with people outside of my classroom...so I need to update more.

Thanks for checking out my currently.  I'm really going to try blogging more.  I promise.

August Currently

It's my FIRST Currently!  I'm so excited!

Anyway, here goes:

 

Listening: My wife was on the phone with her mom...I really have no idea what about...I could just hear my wife talking.

Loving: Even though I live in the Sunshine State (Florida), it has done nothing but rain all summer.  You can tell exactly when the sun comes out, because people flock to the outside.  I can see the sun from my dining room table...and I love it.

Thinking: This semester ends like...any day now.  And I haven't started a big research paper for my class this semester.  I work well under pressure but...ahh!  I need to get busy...I just don't have any motivation.

Wanting: This week our school had our summer institute.  Next week I'm teaching my 3rd summer camp...this time a tech camp (which I'm excited about).  But then it's back to pre-planning.  I would just love an extra week in between camp and pre-planning so I could get in my room and work.

Needing: I need to sit down with my curriculum...we got a new reading series, and our math has now been aligned to Common Core.  And I'm not using the textbooks to teach science or social studies this year...and the summer is almost over.  Which is why I want more time.

B2s Must Haves: 1. Pilot G pens...this is all I use to grade papers.  While student teaching, I wasn't allowed to use red pens, so I found these pens...they come in a multitude of colors.  Now I'm not concerned with what color (I even use red), but I like the way the pens write, and the colors.

2. I need a haircut.  Curly-headed people should be able to feel my pain...I got my hair cut before school got out...it grew back to that perfect length...now it's past that.  I love getting my hair cut...but it's a pain...and expensive.

3. So, we're an F school this year...which means my school district and/or the state will be coming in to my school on a regular basis.  I just need to make sure my teacher clothes still fit (I may, or may not, have gained like 12 pounds over the summer...sheesh).  And if they don't...I guess I need to shopping.

Thanks for reading/listening!