Do you GoNoodle?

I love the power of Google. I remember looking at a bunch of summer posts about the Vegas teacher conferences/meet-ups and almost everyone mentioned GoNoodle. Had never heard of it...and no, I don't live under a rock. Honestly, I'm so out of touch with current music, celebs, and news that I might as well. That's all besides the point. My point is...I Googled GoNoodle and I'm so glad that I did. 

GoNoodle is a website that hosts a variety of brain breaks. Some energizing, some relaxing. All of them super fun. The great part is you get a little class avatar person (I think they have a real name, but I can't think of it at the moment...grr, hate when that happens!) that morphs the more breaks you do. 

Here is one:

Okay, while I was inserting this picture I remembered the little creatures are called Champs. 

Another plus is that if you're watching a brain break from YouTube, you don't get any of the ads. Those ads can always be tricky in class...you never know what might pop up!

Here we are doing the Surfer Dude yoga pose. 

I love it. Kids love it. It's a win-win situation. Click here or on the GoNoodle image above to check it out. 

Check for Understanding

Last week we started our CAFE lessons. We read Full Moon by Kevin Henkes. Gosh, I love that guy's books!!

Anyways, we had a blast finishing off the lesson by making our Check for Understanding hats. My kiddos can wear those as a reminder while they read. 

Such fun in first grade!

I made a YouTube video of me introducing Check for Understanding. It's currently private, but I'll share it as soon as I figure out how to hide a few tiny faces. Hey, 17 out of 19 kiddos who follow my "DO NOT turn around to look at the camera" directions isn't all that bad! 

Fun with Five Senses

The following must be read to the tune of "Everybody Talks" by Neon Trees. If you don't know the song then go here first. 

I don't know why this song popped in my head, but it's pretty hilarious how close I got to the chorus. Some parts are a stretch, but give me a break...songwriting is tough work folks, haha. 

Enjoy. 

It started with a quick search

And that was when I Pinned her...

I can try, it sure can't hurt

Don't have a label for that

Followed that Pin back 

Mama's always gotta backtrack

When everybody Pins back...

Everybody cuts

Everybody glues

Everybody glues...too much

Translation: 

I found that darling Pin from Cara at The First Grade Parade, but realized she found the labels from another blog: Pencils, Glue, and Tying Shoes. Don't you just love the little rabbit trail (or is it a rabbit hole) that Pins take you on sometimes. Anyways, for some weird reason I couldn't get the Scribd thingy to work so I had to make my own labels. The picture above is our spin on this cutesie labeling activity. 

Ipsy: August

I cannot believe it's September 1st and I'm just now posting about my August Ipsy glam bag...so sad :(

My first Ipsy glam bag arrived in July and you can read about that and what Ipsy is here.

Each month I'll give a quick review after having used the products and then I'll share my new goodies.

Okay, so looking back on July...

1. Tints & Sass- SO bright red in the bottle (scary!), but actually very pretty when put on and topped with a gloss. Use a light hand because it can get bright. It smells yummy too! Oh, and don't use it with chapped lips...looks gross. Didn't use on my cheeks. 

2. Pur-lisse Moisturizer- I really, really liked this. Is was very light on the skin and didn't feel greasy at all. At $55 a bottle, I'm not sure that I'd buy it though. I guess I shouldn't be such a cheapie when it comes to skincare. 

3. Clear Clinic Spot Treatment- I don't really get a lot of blemishes, so I haven't used this but maybe twice. I didn't notice a huge benefit, but again I'm probably not the best person for opinion on it. 

4. bareMinerals 5 in 1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow- Wowzers! That's a mouthful! I love, love, love this eyeshadow. It is SO creamy, goes on smoothly, and I didn't notice any creasing throughout the day. LOVE.

5. Pop Beauty Bronzer- This is a nice bronzer. Nothing to be WOW about, but nice. I like that it doesn't have any orangy tones to it. It's just a nice brown bronzer. 

Ok, drumroll please....

1. Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil in Plushie

2. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk

3. Coastal Scents Eyeshadow Sampler in Arctic Breeze, Laguna Green, Appletini, and Indigo

4. Jersey Shore Cosmetics Mongongo Lip Conditioner

5. Manna Kador Sheer Glo Shimmer Lotion

Oh. My. Gosh. You guys. I am in love with my August Glam Bag. I haven't used everything yet, but I am so excited about each and every thing I got. 

I swatched that Urban Decay eyeliner and woah! The color is amazing. I put a dab of the shimmer lotion on my hand and it gives this really pretty peachy-pinky-goldish glow to your skin. The eyeshadows are SO pigmented, but I haven't played with them yet. Can't wait to!

My friend has used the dry shampoo before and she said she really liked it. 

I've been using the lip conditioner like crazy. I love it. It smells so yummy I could eat it. 

The only thing I was kind of eh about was the bag. It's cute and all...I love polka-dots, but it seems to be a cheap plastic and I'm sure it'll be cracking in no time. We'll see. 

Be GLAM ladies! 

Five for Friday

I know, I know...it's Saturday. I'm linking up anyways. 

I totally missed the last two days of the Back to School linkup...waaah! But I had to focus on my darling little first graders. First things first, right.

We had back to school night on Tuesday and I was a sewing machine. And not even for myself...for my dear friend Kara. 

I'm so nice :)

Ok, this one wasn't from this week, BUT I just had to share and say YUM!!!

Husband took me to Santa Monica for our anniversary and we hopped over to Beverly Hills so I could visit Sprinkles Cupcakes...I really love cupcakes.

They even have a cupcake ATM...I couldn't believe it!

We've been practicing Read to Self this week. We're up to a solid three minutes...woah...that is a for sure change from 3rd grade...slow going, but we'll get there. 

We started class points using Mr. Potato Head. They earned the body when they got a compliment from another teacher and the feet when they were working so nicely on their seatwork. They are SO excited about this and so am I!

Last one is a seriously funny story. No picture. Sorry. 

So during prayer circle a little girl in my class (who is incredibly cute by the way) asks if we'd pray for her family because they're going to the Philippines next week. 

My first thought of course is: Great, why haven't I heard about this yet?? Now I have a ton of absent work to prepare. Ugh.

But I'm still smiling at her when I ask, "Oh, for how long?"

She gets a really confused look on her face and shrugs her shoulders as she replies, "For like 3 feet."

I almost died laughing. 

Things like that make me SO glad to be in first grade.  

PS. I talked to her mom after school and they aren't even going to the Philippines. Ha!