Elf Respect

So I had a lot of fun at school yesterday, reading my favorite holiday treasures to my students and visiting with my little friends about their winter break plans. The cutest thing I saw yesterday has to be this clever Tee with its play on words, perfect 'cause it cracks me up and who couldn't use a little laughter this week!

One of my knit-club mentors, Laura Danielson, gave me a new book for my collection, a gift that totally jumpstarted my day. Click the graphic to go to the book's website for more information about this new title that chronicles how young Annie overcomes obstacles to end up with a scarf.

Walking around school makes me feel festive. Our bulletin boards deck the halls with glitzy character messages. Second graders, for example, wrote about the greatest gifts underneath these lift-the-flap giftbox facades. It was heartwarming to read about their moms and dads, friends and pets and 
joy, caring and love.

In small group counseling classes, we used Ashley's delightful dice design from School Supply Addict to make small boxes. The girls left the lids unglued because they wanted to be able to put stuff inside; the boys glued all sides shut so that they'd have dice that they could play with or give away.

At lunchtime, I went off campus to watch my husband John conduct a class via Skype with some fifth graders in Missouri. What a memorable experience, I thought, to get to chat with a space scientist who works in Houston at NASA as if he were right there in the room. Thank you, Jordon, for giving him this opportunity to keep the passion for the space program alive and the dream for one day returning to the moon burning in our 
21st century learners.

After school, I had a blast as the guest chef at the gorgeous home of a student who's new to our school this semester. They hosted a candy class and and I got to teach four fifth-grade girls (and one adorable little brother!) how to make peanut butter balls. Such a delicious gathering! And then, as if I needed one more treat, a few school friends put the cherry on top when they stopped by my place to sing Christmas carols that totally put me in the holiday spirit.

I can't wait to see what today has in store for me!