Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Tuesday Tell All: Summer Flashback!!

Back at it again linking up with My Day in K and Teach, Talk, Inspire for Tuesday Tell All!!

This weeks theme requires me to do a little digging into the past! We are going back in time to reminisce on some summer flashback photos! I can tell you there is some great stuff tucked away in the photo albums from the 90s. I had a ball going through my younger days!!!






The first picture I chose features my cousin (2, who is pretty much a second sister), me (3), and my brother, Jacob (5) in 1995. Just a normal day in the neighborhood. Doesn't everyone have giant rocking horses they put in their front yard???  Leave it to my family to make our house the highlight of the street. There was always something going on in our yard or driveway, whether it be a large family gathering (large aka LOUD) or circus like activities as seen above :)



Next comes the best part about summer (1997): POOL!!! I was lucky enough to grow up with my grandparents having a built in pool in their backyard. I chose this picture because, well, just look at the faces in it. With an age span of 3-8, we were so close in age and spent pretty much every day together. It was more like we were all siblings instead of cousins!! My grandparents pool has some of my best memories of my childhood! When they sold their house my heart broke a little!




I chose this picture for two reasons. First, it was a typical evening for us. We lived within walking distance of this playground and spent many summer evenings there. Between the slides, climbing mechanisms, basketball court, and LARGE map of the United States painted on the concrete, there was so much to do and we loved it there!! The second reason is because this is the playground of the school that I now teach at!! What are the chances that you fast forward 18 years and I am on that very playground today watching my little rays play?!? It is a crazy world ;)



At the end of every summer, we always did our family pictures! My mom would spend the whole summer thinking and debating on what location she wanted to do that year. We have had them on the riverfront, at parks, our house, studios, and gardens. This particular year (1998) she chose Fondulac Park (or I am 99% sure she did!) We went with the classic 90's jean theme and let me tell you, I think we ROCKED it, right??

This was such a fun linky! Many laughs were had as I went through my photobooks and got to see the haircuts and styles we went through! I spared you all from having to see the bowlcuts that followed these years (consider yourself lucky!!!)

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to link up!!

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Rock Your First Year of Teaching!!!

If you are looking for years of experience in this post, you will not find them. I just finished my first, YES FIRST!!!, year of teaching. With a crazy, rollercoaster year that I had, I can promise I have a few tips and tricks that I am excited to share!! I absolutely love this link up hosted by Teaching with Crayons and Curlsbecause I LOVE hearing others ideas and suggestions!

Let's be clear: I didn't have a perfect year. I had behavior problems and at times I wasn't sure I would have any hair left. But as a class we reached our testing goals for each semester, 16/18 students reached their AR goal, AND (hold the applause) my little rays were ALL green in DIBELS (OMG WHAT???) yep!!! Were we perfect??? In no way, shape, or form!!! Did we learn from each other and have an amazing year? ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY!!! And that is all I needed to have after round one!!

So how do you have a successful first year??? I don't know that there is a way to have a 100% successful hear ever (if there is holla at your girl!). But honestly, what fun would it be if everything flowed smoothly. What kind of stories would you have to tell at family dinners if you didn't have students say hilarious things or if you didn't have a student who thought they were part monkey climbing up walls?? There are always going to be ups and downs but that's what these wonderful connections trough blogging does for us! We inspire each other, share ideas, and offer support that will make a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day bring you hope and smiles :)

Here is fresh-off-the-first-year-train teachers view!!





Make connections- Oh my word!!! I can't stress this one enough! Making connections gives you an outlet to bounce ideas with people, ask advice, and seek mentorship!!! Connect with your teammates, it makes everything easier!!! Find a teacher whom you respect and look up to and ask them to mentor you! I think this is hands down the best thing I did last year! My mentor has been my rock for all of my breakdowns, my ears for new ideas, and my brain for the days when I was just lost with what to do!!

Aways be consistent- This is something I think you need to remind yourself on a weekly (or daily) basis! Classroom management is a perfect example! When I started, I gave my students the rules and we talked about expectations for a long time. There were days, however, when I let things slide that I shouldn't have. That's when the students start to manipulate you! They know how to push buttons and what they can get out of. Now luckily, we did a mini behavior bootcamp when we came back from break and I was stricter, but to not have had to go through the behaviors that we did would have been amazing! Even when you feel a little bad discipling, in the end, the students are going to respect you and love you! (Well I teach K so they usually do!!)

Ask questions- this kind of goes hand-in-hand with connections but I can't stress how important it is to ask questions. Honestly, in the education world, there is no stupid question. We deal with some of the hardest and weirdest situations. You never know what you are going to get. So when you have a questions, ASK IT!! Don't be afraid of sounding silly. Ask them to multiple people! Show interest in what other staff members have to say. It will help you in so many ways!



Do not, I repeat, DO NOT spend money on things you don't need. Personally I wish I had listened to this advice. Use your first year to gauge what you need and what you will use. I do not even want to think about the number of things that I have that I have not and most likely will not use. This goes for decorations, school supplies, games, etc. Even if you are shopping at the Dollar Store, things add up!! Use your first year to understand what materials are important. Ask teachers in the building if they have anything they are willing to get rid of. Be the donation girl!!! Take anything anyone has to offer you before going out and spend your money! You'll thank me :)

Do not try to do everything you see on Pinterest. Now don't get me wrong, Pinterest is an amazing and resourceful site that has multiple ideas on any given topic. That's awesome and I suggest looking up new ways/strategies to teach, however, when you start to put all the things on your Kindergarten Board, you are all of the sudden neck deep in a DIY filled pond. There is nothing worse than feeling overwhelmed. Actually, there is nothing worse than feeling overwhelmed AND being a first year teacher. Once you are trying to do to many new things and you aren't successful with one, you are going to be sad. No, you are going to feel DEFEATED. You are going to walk yourself into a never ending question battle over why you chose teaching and clearly it's not working and you're a horrible teach and YADDA YADDA YADDA. None of its true. Absolutely none of it! Find a fee cute ideas and try them out. Dont make a list of fifty new things. You will regret it. And you will need a mental health day to deal with it if you do.



"Teachers who love teaching, teach children to love learning." Does it get simpler than that? If you are reading this, you love your job. Even more, you ARE your job. Teaching isn't something you do from first bell to end bell. You are up some nights until dawn making sure your lessons are ready. You're searching for a way to make contractions fun. You're spending time that you could be sleeping, eating, even breathing, to your teaching because it is that important. Many people don't see that, but you know who does? YOUR STUDENTS. No matter how unappreciated you may feel sometimes, your kids love you. They appreciate you. In fact, some will ask you to be their mom (come on, don't lie, they have asked you too, right?!) You are their world! They see you more than anyone else and when you enter the room with a smile because this isn't just your paycheck, it's your PASSION, they know and they pick up on that and want to make you proud. Is every single child going to come in excited to learn? Not everyday. Sometimes you will have one or two who you can try anything with and they still show no emotion. But don't stop loving your job. Remember that smile from one student when they read the word 'cat' for the first time. Remember the laugh you heard from the student who came in not speaking. Remember the hug you got from your little munchkin that you had to discipline but still loves you because you show him warmth and compassion. It's because of you that these kids are successful. It's because of you that these kids have a chance.

GOOD LUCK FIRST YEAR TEACHERS !! And trust me, second year teachers need this too ;)

Link up and share your advice because I know I will be reading all of these for myself!!!!!

Sunday Scoop!

Is it just me or are the summer weeks FLYING by???? I am a little worried that it feels like I was just writing my last Sunday Scoop and it is already time to link up with Teaching Trio for another!!!!





This week I have many goals!!! With summer just flying by, I really need to hit the nail on the head and get my booty going so that I don't end up swamped :)


Here is my scoop!!

HAVE TO DO:
I am so excited to go to our Summer Reading Program to see some familiar faces and to promote the kids to keep reading over break!! I also really need to get the pile of clothes that has been waiting to go to the dry cleaners. For some reason, the two minute drive has just not happened!!! I also need to get my centers and units all sorted through so that I know what materials I have and what I need to search for aka buy from TpT ;)

HOPE TO DO:
I hope to read all the books that I picked up from the library! I love love love to read, but get so sidetracked! I find myself getting roped into ten hours of Fixer Upper (don't get me wrong, OBSESSED with the show and kind of want to be Joanna) instead of putting my nose in a book! Might need to tone down the time I spend pretending I am a Gaines and more time solving mysteries in a book! I also am hoping that I will be able to get my workouts in OUTSIDE. I love running outside but the rain is kind of cramping my style!!! If the weather forces me in, I at least need to get my workouts in at the gym!

LOVE TO DO:
I would love to find the sun. Seriously. Where the heck did the big ball of fire go?? I think out of the days we have had off so far, the sun has only showed its warm face about five times. I am a girl who likes the HEAT so Mr. Sun is welcome back ANYTIME. If you know where he is hiding, FIND HIM AND BRING HIM TO ME. Kidding...Actually no, I am in desperate need of some rays!

Thanks for reading my scoop! Don't forget to link up :) Can't wait to read what you all are doing this week!!!!



Thursday, June 25, 2015

Donor's Choose!

Throughout my year of teaching, I found so many ideas for resources that I wanted to use in my room. There was a problem though: money (or lack there of). I wanted to be able to provide the BEST for my students and heard through the grapevine about Donors Choose!! What an AWESOME idea!! I looked at some projects that had been posted and instantly started doing some research on what kind of resources I would want to ask for. I put all of this on the back burner for awhile when things got busy, but towards the end of the year, I remembered the SPARK that I had felt and decided to get back into it! So with that came my first project proposal!!

I had a lot of students this past year who had a hard time staying in their seats (hard to believe, right??). Anyway, I have been working on finding a resource that would be useful to students who have these kind of attention issues. I found Wobble Chairs and fell in love instantly. Not only do these chairs offer support for the student, but they move and are subtle (as to not distract others) which would help in SO many ways! After finishing my first year, I am so ready to start year two off STRONG, organized, and ready to kick some butt!! To do this as efficiently as I would like, I hope to get my project sponsored so that that my little babes are able to be successful!


http://www.wobbleseat.com/Kids-Wobble-Chair.html

My little rays who need to move are not trouble makers. They are not uninterested. They are not bad seeds. They are not the bad stigmas that some teachers who don't like to make adjustments might use. They ARE five year olds. They are here to learn. They are not able to control their bodies. They deserve MY help in anyway that it can be used. So I have started a project to get four of these Wobble Chairs in my classroom to see their benefits!! I would ABSOLUTELY love the ability to supply my classroom with 25 of them, but decided to start a little at a time and use them for small group.

Please take a look at my site, tell me any suggestions you have, and SHARE with anyone who you think would be interested!!! Also let me know, what would YOU want for your classroom??? From one teacher to another, every bit counts :)

http://www.donorschoose.org/project/we-need-wobble-chairs/1545759?challengeid=20576772&utm_source=dc&utm_medium=project&utm_campaign=copyURL&rf=copyURL-siteshare-2015-06-project-teacher_2904398


Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Whatever Wednesday!!

Wednesday is my day to blog about...whatever I feel like!!! Last week I blogged about what I would be if I wasn't a teacher and I got awesome feedback! This week I am going to highlight my favorite spots to shop for school stuff for my classroom!!

My number one hotspot to go for any supplies I need is the Dollar Store! I practically LIVE there. I mean, I am there at least twice a week! The Dollar Store is like a hidden jackpot for teachers. From plastic ice cubes used for sight word boggle, stickers for our charts, or containers for our supplies, I couldn't live without the Dollar Store to save my butt! Check out this link from Mrs. E! for ideas on items that are amazingly useful from there :)




Store number two is...TARGET!!! A one-stop shop for all my life needs! Clothes, shoes, jewelry, PLUS an amazing dollar spot? Holla at this teacher!!! I can usually score reallllly big at the dollar spot at Target! They have quite a lot of educational material that they have introduced! I always make it a point to browse that section when I am close because you never know what goodies will be there!! Today, for instance, I happened to get number blocks, letter blocks, mini bowling sets, shape and color puzzles, and more!!! I left so happy! I would highly recommend checking out your nearest Target! Plus it's an excuse to be at the best place on Earth ;) I 



The last place that is like heaven for teachers is IKEA. Yes, the beautiful big yellow and blue sign that you see as you enter Chicago suburbs! It is a good thing that I don't live that close because I could spend days there! IKEA has amazing storage solutions and decor for your classroom that is AFFORDABLE!! They have a great deal for book boxes (5 for $1.50!!!!). I am like a dog chasing a squirrel when I am there. So many lights, so many bright colors, SO many ideas!! I am making a trip up there this weekend and the list I made for purchases is longer than a grocery list...woops!!! Check out Primary Possibilities blog for ideas on how to use IKEA for your classroom!! 



These are my top three MUST HAVE teacher stores!!! Without them my classroom would not be near as cute, fun, or organized!!!! As a teacher, not having to spend an arm and a leg to keep my room up to date and resourceful is always essential. These are three places that I have been able to save money and get QUALITY things!!! Where do you like to shop for your classroom??? 



Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Tell All Tuesday: My Teacher Bucket List!!




It is Tell All Tuesday time!!! That means joining with Teach, Talk, Inspire and My Day in K for the super fun linky party!!!! This week the linky is about our teacher bucket list!! Makes me so giddy to even say! I have had so much time to reflect on my first year of teaching and set aside goals for what I hope to be able to accomplish throughout the next few years of teaching. Through all of the bloggers that I follow, I have seen SO many amazing ideas and experiences that I KNOW I want to take part in!!




Here is my teacher bucket list of things that I want, NEED, and hope to do :)



1. I HAVE to visit RCA!!!! I have read his books, watched his interviews, and listened to other blogger's experiences and I just cannot wait to have my own chance to go! I have heard nothing but amazing things and I know that going will inspire me in ways that I didn't even know were possible! The learning that goes on in RCA is simply remarkable. I am sure that when I go, I will be an emotional mess, but it will be 100% worth it!! I cannot wait to get the opportunity to go and be inspired by this once in a lifetime experience!!!



2. I have also heard amazing things about the Teacher Blogger Meetup in Vegas!! I would love to go and see the presentations put on by bloggers that I am so inspired by! I also think that making the connections with other teachers who are so motivated and passionate is so essential! It is so important to me to be able to have others that push me to be better and I think that going to Vegas for this would fit right in with that!




3. Get my master's!! I am looking into getting my master's degree and cannot wait to further my education. I think it is essential to continually seek improvement and advances in my education/professional development! I was really having a hard time choosing online versus a cohort and I think I have finally settled on a cohort! I want to make personal connections with people and I find that to be easier when you are (forced) in a room with other! I love to hear others opinions and experiences so I think this choice will work best for me!!!



4. Continue to use social media to make connections and grow! I absolutely love how social media platforms such as blogger and Instagram have allowed me to meet people from all over the US. I have been able to have so many conversations, share ideas, and find new products through the wonderful teachers that I have met. I hope to continue to utilize my blog and Instagram in a way that allows me to continue to grow and push myself as well as to meet more amazing, motivated, and FUN teachers :)



What is on YOUR teacher bucket list?!?!?!


Monday, June 22, 2015

Made It Monday!!


It is Made It Monday!!! I love getting to this day (wait, who likes Mondays????) because I get to reflect on crafts/projects that I have completed! I also get to take a breath of fresh air to start the week on a HAPPY, POSITIVE, note :)

I have created a Summer Bucket List with different projects to create for this coming school year! Each week I focus on 2-3 projects to tackle. I like working on only a few at a time because I am able to focus soley on them and doing them the RIGHT way, not the fast way!! 

This past week, I finished quite a few projects that I am SO excited for!! My Made It Monday project is an attendance board! This board will be placed in the doorway of our class and will be used for specials teachers/subs/etc to know who is there that day. I think it will be very effective to be able to look at with one glance be able to tell!
Here are the supplies: 


1 Cookie Sheet
Glue gun
Crystal Gems (dollar store)
Magnets (however many students you have!)
Mod Podge
Paintbrush
Number Stickers
Ribbon or Washi Tape




The first thing I did was glue my ribbon about 3/4 of the down on the cookie sheet. I figure more students will be at school than absent ;)

Next I used a silhouette to print all my numbers out. You could easily buy number stickers from the Dollar Store or Walmart in the scrapbook section! I used cardstock for the numbers and after a few trials found the brighter the paper, the better!! For the words on the cookie sheet, I used vinyl! 

After the numbers were printed, I painted Mod Podge on the flat side of the gem. Then I placed the numbers on the flat side of the gems and put another coat of Mod Podge over the numbers! Once they  were dried, I hot glued the magnets to the back side (flat side!) of the gem.


To label each section, I decided on three sections: 'Ready to Learn' (at school), 'Absent', and 'Other'. I am using Other for students who leave the room for ESL services, speech, PT/OT, etc. That way the teacher knows they are at school, but needed to be pulled for something! I used vinyl on the silhouette to make these labels and placed them on their section! 


 
Overall, I am so pleased with how it turned out!!! Next project is to use the gems to make alphabet magnets :)

Let me know what you think!!

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Sunday Scoop



And just like that, the weekend has flown by!!! This teacher has definitely checked out of using her calendar to know what day it is ;) Excited to join in the Sunday Scoop linky hosted by Teaching Trio!!! Can't wait to read what everyone else is up to!



This girl is ready to conquer the week and has high hopes for some real summer weather!!! Thanks for stopping by!! Don't forget to link up!!! I can't wait to see what YOUR sunday scoop features ;)

Friday, June 19, 2015

Five For Friday!






Happy Friday Teacher friends!! Excited to take part in this weeks Five For Friday linky hosted by Doodle Bugs Teaching!!! It has been quite the crazy week!!!




To kick off my list, MY SISTER GOT ENGAGED!!! A total surprise proposal that has secretly been planned for about 2 months (only my mom knew and somehow she managed to keep a secret!!!) made this week quiiiite fun!! Now as pretty much any teacher knows, Pinterest is a lifesaver. I have probably pinned 300+ wedding related items (most having to do with my dress and sparkles for everything)! We are looking forward to a year of fun planning!!!




We have had a puppy for about 3 weeks and he is almost 6 months old! Since I was busy nannying, my grandparents volunteered to take him for his haircut. When I got back from my day at the pool, I found my pup went from a small ball of fur to a skinny little guy! I couldn't help but snicker for the evening when I looked at how different he was!!!

He went from:

TO: 





I signed up for my first race of the summer! I was not planning on doing that many races because I am trying to get ready for my half marathon in September, but my mom really wanted me to join her in the Steamboat Classic 4 mile run! Hoping for warm weather!



I got a lot, I repeat A LOT, of planning and work done because we had a lot of wet weather here in Central Illinois!!! I was able to get a lot of my school year signs made and get my computer semi organized into semesters!! (Note: Semi means I still have plenty to do!)




I ordered my BLOGGER shirt! Thanks to the amazing people A Plus Images, bloggers can get their blog button design for free!! Yes, you read that right, FREE!!!!! They have the quickest service (I am talking 2 days shipping people!!!!) I cannot wait to get my shirt! I will most definitely be updating you all once I get it!!


Happy Friday to you all! And Happy Summer :)


Thank you for reading and be sure to link up!!

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Teachers LOVE Summer!!!







SO excited to be a part of Primarily Speaking's LINKY! As she mentioned: TEACHERS. LOVE. SUMMER!!! I don't know that there is a teacher out there that will disagree with that statement!! There are only a million reasons that I happen to love summer (I will try to limit it for ya'll!!)



SLEEP. Now I am a natural early riser, but being able to get a few extra hours makes A TON of difference! Compared to the 4-5 hours I got during the school year, sleeping 7-8 hours feels HEAVENLY!! I love not having to set alarms every day as early as dawn! Even when I am not actually sleeping, being able to lay around and have some laziness is not too shabby ;)  Not to mention getting to nap at the pool!!




Which brings me right to reason #2!! POOL TIME! I am a nanny during the summers and with that duty, I luckily get a pool membership!!! I have a pretty laid back job where I drive my kids to their camps and friends houses, but other than that, we spend 97% of our time (well this summer may decrease the percentage due to rain!) at the pool! Getting paid to lay at a pool and work on a summer tan? SIGN ME UP FOR LIFE!!! I enjoy getting to hangout with my kids and the fact that we get to do it at a lovely pool makes it THAT much better!!!




Summertime is my favorite time for working out! I am a huge fan of staying in shape and keeping myself healthy, so having so much more time to do is AMAZING!! I get to focus more on myself because I have more time available to me! The weather is perfect running weather and allows me to get a great, sweaty workout in! During the summer, I have the flexibility to workout whenever I want versus the school year (when I got up at 4:30 to go to the gym) I can spend two hours in the morning to do weights and abs and then run outside during the afternoon or at night since I have so much more time!




The last reason I will mention for why I love love LOVE summer is FREEDOM! Yes I have time (not really) during the year to run errands, get pedicures, and shop, but in Summer?!? I have so much more time and am able to have fun days with some of my besties!!! I love being able to spontaneously plan a night or day full of fun. Since I don't have a strict schedule because THERE IS NO SCHOOL, I feel so much more free to do more!!

Don't get me wrong, I love the school year, I love my kiddos, and I love being a teacher!! But this time away from work is so essential for relaxing, recouping, and reenergizing myself for the following year!!

Be sure to check out the other linky bloggers and find out their answers!!

And start thinking:

WHY DO YOU LOVE SUMMER?!?!


Wednesday, June 17, 2015

WhAtEvEr WeDnEsDaY!




So on my weekly schedule for blog posts, I left Wednesday open for miscellaneous topics! I figured it would be good to have a day in the middle of the week to blog about whatever comes to mind!! I like that it will always be something new and interesting and you will never know what is coming!

As I sat here thinking about what to post, I kept coming back to the common questions I get when I tell people I am a teacher. This question is also a hot topic used as an ice breaker at EVERY training/convention/meetup that teachers attend. This is one that is hard to answer because most of us don't even think about the other options.

Now I bet you are all wondering what is this question????

"What would you be if you weren't a teacher? 

Now for awhile when people asked me this, I always responded, "I have always wanted to be a teacher." Yes, this is true. Ever since I was in second grade I knew I was going to be a teacher. But was that the ONLY career that interested me??? No way!! My passion for teaching, love for children, and inspiration from others has always driven me in the education field and I don't regret it for a second. I absolutely LOVE teaching, however, there are other careers that I have thought about. There are always the fun thoughts of growing up to be a PRINCESS or  MOVIE STAR. Of course those would be fun, but realistic??? Not so much :)

When I really got to thinking, the only other career that I really find to be something I would love is an Interior Designer! If I am watching TV, there is a 99.7% chance that I am watching HGTV or TLC! I find the idea of taking something that someone loves and plans to spend a long time in and turning it into their DREAM HOME through decoration and remodeling to be simply amazing! I love Rehab Addict and Fixer Upper (excuse me, can my family be as cute as Chip & Joanna's?!?!) Watching the whole process really intrigues me and I find myself losing hours of my day to renovation shows!

As I got to thinking, teaching is actually A LOT like interior designing. In the latter, someone has/purchases a house and wants to remodel and turn it into their dream. Similarly, a parent sends their precious baby to our room and it is up to us to mold them into a good student! We have the opportunity of turning a scared child into a courageous child; a uninterested student into an actively engaged learner. We make our students dreams come true one day at a time!!! As you can see, I am a big fan of connections ;)

Plus, I LOVE redesigning my room and am always finding new ways to use my space!!

If you weren't a teacher, WHAT WOULD YOU BE??? 


Tuesday, June 16, 2015

TUESDAY TELL ALL!!

So excited to join the linky party hosted by My Day In K and Teach, Talk, Inspire!!!


Summer has always been my favorite part of the year!! Soaking up the sun, nothing that HAS to be done. What a time to live ;) As much as I loved summer before, I never appreciated summer as much until I started my first year teaching. I actually lasted a pretty good amount of time before I felt like I needed that summer break. Once April hit, it's all my kinders and I could think of!!!






This week for Tuesday Tell All, the topic is Summer Snapshot!! Love this theme! This summer, I am busy nannying and hanging at a pool, however, my FAVORITE summer snapshots would include my past trips to South Haven, MI! Florida is my spring break time, so getting to vacation closer to home with warm weather, shopping, and the beach is a pretty good summer activity ;)



Every year since 8th grade, I have gone to South Haven with one of my best girlfriends and her family. Once we turned 16, we were allowed to take our own car up so that we could stop for some AMAZING outlet malls. Who doesn't love a good outlet mall?? Over the course of the years, I am sure I have spent plenty of money, but it was vacation so it doesn't count, right ;)


We rent a beach house and spend a week getting our tan on, watching BEAUTIFUL sunsets, and enjoying ourselves!! Nothing is more relaxing than a break from reality! Each year, we find more and more cute local stores and make it a goal to try something new! I will never forget my first time (and last!!!) trying oysters! Over the years some of the 'South Haven Bucket List' items we have done are: gone kayaking, gone fishing, picked blueberries, went on a winery hop, and changed a tire (not planned)! I cannot wait to continue to add to our lists of firsts!!



As the year winded down, I could not help but think about this coming summer and the fun that was going to be had!! Counting down the days :)

That is my Tuesday Tell All Summer Snapshot!! Thanks for reading and be sure to link up and check out all the other amazing blogs!!!!!