Five Favorite Things- April Style

Happy Monday!

I'm linking up with Jodi from Fun in First with 5 Things I'm Loving in April!

1.)  I am LOVING that next week (April 26th) is my birthday! For two reasons: 

a) It's my bday- duh!   

b) I am taking off on Friday in my own honor. Hehe! It will be my first personal day of the year! 

2.) There are only 24 more days of school! I cannot even begin to express the joy in my heart! I LOVE teaching, don't get me wrong... but summer is the best part of the year! Beach, lake, books, shopping, sleeping late, laying out but the pool, basically having NO PLANS. Heavenly.

3.) Vampire Diaries! I know I probably like this show a leeeetle too much, but what can I say. We all have to have our guilty pleasures, right? :) And there hasn't been a new episode in a couple weeks and I am in serious withdrawal right now. Thursday can't get here fast enough! (PS- I think it's gonna be a reeaaalllyyy good Delena episode!)

4.) I've got to say I am really loving some books I bought to get myself all prepared for next year. They are: 

• Debbie Diller's Math Work Stations
• Debbie Diller's Literacy Work Stations
• The Daily 5 
• CAFE
• Debbie Diller's Differentiating Small Group Instruction
• Kathy Collins Growing Readers

I spent a BOAT LOAD of money, but I am LoVinG what I have read so far!

5.) Hmm... And I guess my last thing is all of the teacher blogs I stalk. I can't express how much everyone has helped me this year. And how much you are all helping me prepare for next year. I have made more notes and written down more ideas than I can find paper for! I even started my very own blog. :o) I know it's not great, but I still haven't figured out how to balance work, blog time, and free time. I'll get it eventually. Also, I need to get the commercial license from Scrappin Doodles, cause I would LOVE to share some cutie freebies I have made! 

*And I feel like I need to add a couple of other little things: I'm also loving Pinterest, Netflix, Partials by Dan Wells, and the fact that I was chosen to be a part of our school's Instructional Leadership Team and we have $72,000.00 to spend for next year! What?!? I am so excited- 98% sure we are getting iPads for our classrooms! Oh, and also- two second grade teachers and I started a "Teacher Morale Booster" club type thingy in 'sorta-secret' to try and get spirits up at our school. We have a lot of downers on our staff. We just got started redecorating our HORRENDOUS teachers' lounge, and have a lot of other stuff in the works. (coupon books, jokes in boxes, random candy-grams, and monthly dinners) We hope it will improve spirits at our school and flush out some of those Negative Nancy feelings that float around ALL THE TIME! 

Anyway, good night! And I hope to be back soon with something good. 

PPS: PLEASE follow me if you read this post! I just started this blog last month and I would LOVE some followers. Right now, my only follower is my sister. Haha! This is also my first link-up and my first time contacting the blogging world. Help me! :o)