My Top 9 Books of 2015

Happy New Year's Eve friends! I hope you are getting ready for lots of fun festivities later today. I'm ready for our annual bonfire to ring in the New Year, but first I wanted to take a look back at 2015. It has been a whirlwind of a year with many ups and downs, but the constant I have always had throughout my year is my reading habit. I wanted to cap off the year by sharing the ones I thought were the best...

My Young Adult Favorites:
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
The Heir by Kiera Cass
Just One Day by Gayle Forman
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I've got to say I became so wrapped up in these four stories above that I finished them all in a day or two! Also, might I dare say that I loved Just One Day more than If I Stay, but that's just my thoughts!

Children's Literature Favorites:
Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
The Land of Stories: The Wishing Well by Chris Colfer

As a teacher I've always felt that reading what my kiddos read is important and sometimes I find myself lost in these stories just as much! I've always heard amazing things about Echo and Fish in a Tree, but The Land of Stories as a complete surprise. Of course, being a Disney fan it was a meant for me book and I'm excited to dig into the rest of the series!

Randoms that I Loved:
Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess
November 9 by Colleen Hoover

I always read a professional development book or two throughout the summer months to refresh my teacher batteries and Teach Like a Pirate does not disappoint! I'm always a sucker for a good Colleen Hoover book, she's my go to favorite adult author and she never lets me down!

I hope you can pick up a book or two throughout the upcoming year and escape from reality for just a little while! Happy New Year's Eve friends!

~Holiday Favorites~

Kicking off my last week before the Holiday break with a fun Holiday favorites linky party from Southern Fried Teaching!

Check out my list below of my Holiday favorites and then join in the fun too!

1. Favorite Holiday Song: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, it's a classic!

2. Favorite Holiday Guilty Pleasure Food: Recently it has been a drink, the Starbucks Caramel Brulee Latte- I can't get enough.

3. Favorite Holiday Tradition: Decorating the Christmas tree, even if I did have a tree fall on me one year when I was nine. What did my mom do? Yell- "Timbbbbber"- It's a great Christmas memory, now!

4. Favorite Holiday Book: When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke

5. Favorite Act of Kindness: Buying toys for students in need at my school.

6. Favorite Holiday Memory: This past year my Granny passed away, it has been our family tradition to enjoy a Christmas breakfast together. One of those years, I stayed the night before with my grandparents and thinking of my Granny in the kitchen is a memory I will always treasure, but this Christmas morning together was more special than most. What made that morning even better? My Papa joined us in the Christmas breakfast making. I even have a picture of him sporting an apron!

7. Favorite Holiday Christmas Gift: Tiffany Heart Bracelet- it has stood the test of time. However, this year's gift could always top it!

8. Favorite Holiday Craft: I've only done this one once. I am hoping to get to do this again with my kiddos this year and that is creating snow globes with the writing prompt, "If I were stuck in a snow globe..."

9. Favorite Holiday Movie: The Santa Clause with Tim Allen

10. Favorite Place to Shop for Holiday Gifts: Etsy, I love finding unique gifts for people!

11. What I Want Santa to Bring Me: A healthy baby boy in May!

12. Favorite Product: My Homework Reading Response Sheets, I use them every week with my kiddos. The sheets allow me to check up on their reading and I get to see how they are doing with their understanding of their book!

Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday break!

December Currently

Hey y'all! Can y'all believe we are already in December? Whew, time flies when you are having fun! Such a true saying. I'm joining Farley from Oh Boy 4th Grade for her Currently December linky pary! Here is what is going on in my neck of the woods.

The morning news is my daily jam, on school mornings at least. I'm loving all the Christmas Decorations I'm seeing around Instagram and Pinterest, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year! I know I'm probably not the only teacher experiencing this, but I left everything at school over the Thanksgiving break and am now feeling overwhelmed with all the grading I need to catch up on! Leaving it behind was absolutely worth it, but I'm needing more time to get everything accomplished! I'm wanting cold weather to arrive here in sunny Florida, I'm ready for sweaters and boots! Wishing everyone a December to Remember!