Bedroom Makeover!

I have known for a long time that I wanted to completely redo my master bedroom. I didn't quite know what exactly I wanted to do, but I knew I need something different. I had been looking on Pinterest for months trying to find some inspiration. I had two pictures in mind and I knew that I wanted to keep little bits of what I had and merge them with the two Pinterest pictures. Here is where I gained my inspiration...

This is the exact layout of my room. I knew I wanted a big mirror and a chair in front of the window. I also wanted to stay with the brown tones, but add in some white. 

I love the bench at the end of the bed, as well as, the black bed. I knew I wanted this wall color and I wanted to add an accent wall.

  Well,  here are some before pictures . . .

These next two are from wayyyyy back. 

And, then I transistioned to this... 

Now, my bedroom is complete! Here is a look into my paradise. . .

My makeup vanity!

My camera is at school, so you'll have to settle for sucky broken iPhone pictures for now! It is better in person... TRUST ME! 

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Blessed in the Classroom

I am feeling especially blessed in the classroom this year. I have a parent helper nearly each and everyday! Last year, I did not have even ONE parent that could volunteer in the classroom. I was there early, late and on most weekends catching up and I am happy to say that this year is SO opposite. I sent home my last newsletter last Monday and requested a few classroom items and by Tuesday afternoon I had more than enough! WOW! I have some willing and generous families this year and I am loving all the support. I am happy to say besides buying a few items over the summer for the classroom I have spent ZERO out of pocket. I was at least $500 in by this time last year!! You never know what kind of group you will end up with, but boy did I get a great group! Ü

It's not only the families that are generous this year, it's complete strangers too! My wonderful friend who I miss dearly, Lindsay has a mom that is a teacher. Well, Lindsay's mom told me about a website called donorschoose.org. I blogged about it one right here, Donors Choose! I am SO happy to announce that 2 of my 3 grants have been completely funded by complete strangers!! How amazing is that! This was nearly $800 in classroom materials for FREE! The first grant I wrote was to ask for some clocks to teach time. Near the end of first grade we start learning to tell time, but our district's math curriculum lacks the manipulatives to be able to teach it properly. Here is what I got for my first grant . . .

I got this class set of clocks! SOOO much better than trying to make paper ones that rip!

And, I got a set of 30 of these write on/wipe off clocks and markers to go with!

    The clocks all totaled more than $220 and I feel so blessed that random people would want to donate to MY classroom for MY kids. The best part is my students will be able to use all of these materials for years to come!

My second grant was a grant with more of a focus on classroom management and organization. This grant was well over $500 in total and I thought that there was NO way it would be granted. Little did I know that it was completed within a week and I have all the materials in hand within 2 weeks of posting. Amazing!! Here is what I got for this grant . . .

I got this big timer to hang on the wall. The kids love it and work so intently until the timer goes off. 

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This was just too cute and I thought I needed it for my desk. ;o)

I haven't found a place for these just yet, but I think I am going to use them for grouping and centers etc. I need to find a magnetic white board. . . hmmm. Parent newsletter?!? Haha.

My next big project is to completely re-do my classroom library! I need to get some tubs and then these labels will be perfectttttt!

Ummmm. I might be the most excited about this one! I cannot wait to take a test (this Friday) and use these! I have wanted these for years. Sure beats having to dig out and put up folders that always tip over.

I love this and would have killed to have it last year. This year I don't really need it, but I am planing on doing something with it. It's so handy!

This is now on my rolling whiteboard and it's so convenient! No more losing markers and erasers! Whoo hoo!!

Aren't these reusable name tags just the greatest?! I have seen them used and I have always wanted them. Now I have them and just in time for our field trip THIS THURSDAY!!

And, finally. . .  the YACKER TRACKER! This has always been on my wish list, but I never wanted to spend $100 out of pocket to buy it. I have never had a quieter classroom since getting this! I keep it on all day. These are soooooooo quiet now to avoid going to "red" it is music to my ears! :)

I have one more grant that is in the works. I have asked for a class set of clipboards for the kids. It has about $190 left until it is funded. I have a few things in mind and I hope to propose my 4th grant over the weekend! Stay tuned . . .

Donorschoose.org!

I have a new addiction. What's new right? When I like something I REALLY like it. When I crave a food I crave it for daysssss. I get on really weird kicks. Well, my latest kick is not weird, it's awesome! I'm addicted to writing grants for my classroom! I started on September 2nd and I have already had one completely funded and the items are on their way!! I have two more in the works and one is almost there.... Only $48 more dollars!!!

Here is my site...

http://www.donorschoose.org/kristina.schiltz

I have 111 Facebook friends.... If even half of them only gave $1 I would be there!

Just sayin'.... :) 

PS this is my first post via phone. I hope you can read it!! 

Spend New Years Eve in New York City with Katie

How awesome does this look?! For as long as I can remember Katie and I have talked about going to NYC to spend New Years Eve in Times Square. The more and more that I research it the scarier the idea sounds. Getting there at 10 am and waiting over 14 hours for a spot... no bathrooms. I hear that people wear diapers because of the lack of bathrooms. No food, only snacks in your backpack. There is a whole lot that goes into planning such a trip and I really thought it was going to happen this year, but now I am thinking maybeeeee next year. Maybe. Have you done it before? What do you think?!

 :)

GIVEAWAY!!

Okay all you 8 blog followers of mine... My girl, Lindsay is having a giveaway over at her blog . . .   

Check it Out Here!

She's giving away some beautiful art, so check it out!! 

Thanks, Guys!!

20 dayssssss!

It's no secret that I have been making many, many trips up north this summer. Well, I'm home for a little while, so I can get settled into work and school. I will be heading up to Tacoma later this month. Why? To see TIM MCGRAW (aka my Mom's wanna be husband). He's coming to the Puyallup Fair!! Whoa!! 

I have seen some awesome concerts at the fair in years past, but Tim McGraw is by far the biggest act that's ever come to my knowledge! It's been probably 6 or 7 years since I have been to the Puyallup Fair! It's going to be a great weekend and I cannot wait!!!

VEGASSSSS!!!

Who: Myself, Katie and Nick. (Who else would I travel with? The Three  Musketeers)

What: Going to Fabulous Las Vegas!!

Where: Flying Southwest and staying at Treasure Island!

When: October 4th-6th, 2012

Why: It's a celebration!! Celebrating.... my new job, Nick's birthday, and mine and Katie's half way through our crazy semester mark!

Things we are doing:

POOL

Clubs

Gambling (the Gold Fish game, of course)

C.S.I

Pawn Stars

Eating

Shopping!!!

My Classroom

It's no secret that I am super excited to have a job right now! I am also super nervous excited to get this school year off the ground!! 

Since I was on a one year contract last year the district had no obligation to keep me. I went into this summer thinking that the BEST thing that could happen was my school was possibly going to add a fourth grade position and I thought I might get that. To this day they still have class lists with 32+ kids in each class and the district has yet to pull the trigger and get a new teacher. I am so thankful that I am not sitting around waiting for that to happen! Whew! So, you're probably wondering, how did I get to stay in the same grade at the same school?! Here's the story. . . my best teacher friend and teaching partner from last year was offered an administrative position at the district office, so thankfully I was given her position! And, the best thing is, I didn't just get another one year contract, but a permanent one!!! This means no more worrying from year to year if I will have a job. Now that all that is out of the way, do you want to see some pictures?! Of course, you do!

 Here is how my room looked the day I walked into it . . .  

(Beware, it's frightening!!)

I cannot begin to tell you how overwhelmed I felt when I walked into this room. Thankfully my mom was able to come spend a couple in days in Vancouver to help me pull it all together. I have put in over 30 hours in the month of August working in here (all unpaid, of course ;)) to try to be ready for the first day of school. Besides having a few little things to copy and plan I think I am ready for the kiddos! All 22 of them as of now!! Here is how the room is looking today! 

I still have to fill out all the going home information next week!

Aren't those paper curtains mom made just  the cutest?! I've already gotten so many compliments!

View from the door.

Library!

Birthdays and Jobs!

Teacher's point of view!

I still have a few things to add to this calendar/math focus wall.

Back door of the classroom.

I know it says October. I need to re-laminate September. :)

Crayon Art by Dad!

More Crayon Art by Dad! ♥

This is new this year. We will add a link to our chain each time we receive a compliment! When the chain touches the floor we earn a party. Great visual for the students!! (Thank you Pinterest!)

Library Bin and Lunch Tub!

 Well.... what do you think?! 

Here is my room from last year if you want to check it out!! 

Last Year's Classroom

FISH!

Last year I found a grant for classroom teachers while surfing through Pinterest. It was offered by a website called http://www.petsintheclassroom.org/. This site allows classroom teachers to apply for grants to get pets in their classroom. The whole idea of a classroom pet is to teach care and responsibility. I decided that I would apply for a fish grant. That's easy enough for me! I can't imagine the upkeep or smell of having a reptile or small rodent in my room and then at my house over summer. YUCK!  
I was granted $50 last December and ended up all all of this...

 

That was just enough to get me started. My students ended up naming the two Betas, Jake and Mark. I am planning on letting my new kiddos rename the two fish this school year. 

I applied again for a sustaining grant in hope of getting some new decor and stock up on food etc., but to my surprise they gave me $50 to use for this school year! I didn't need much stuff, but I found some goodies anyway. 

Take a look . . . 

 

Everything I bought had to be "fish or small pet" related, so here is what my $50 got me today! I am going to use the fish bowl for my daily drawing for good behavior (once I decorate it I will be sure to post pictures!) and that squirt bottle for for Rollie's naughty little butt!! The Dr. Seuss statues are meant for large aquariums, but I figured they would be such cute decor for the classroom and I will probably put them on my desk. Other than that, I just got a few cute/cheap clearance items to spruce up the tank this year! I can't wait to see what my $50 will get me next year?? Maybe one of those cool neon glow tanks with the awesome lights?!?

Back with a BANG.... and, hopefully with little backlash!! :)

So, I have have never thought of myself as an outspoken political person. Outside of family and close friends I don't usually discuss politics. I definitely don't like to talk about it at work. It's very clear that I am a conservative fish in a very liberal pond. School staff rooms are plastered with Democratic campaign sign and if you ever have a question about who or what to vote for ask almost anybody for works for public schools and they'll probably even offer to do your ballot for you. I have always found it funny how when a Republican president gets sworn into office it is not televised in the schools, but when a Democratic president is school comes to a halt and the inauguration is watched by all. More than anything I hate the message this sends to the students. They only get to see one point of view, the Democratic side. It's not so relevant in the elementary schools, but I imagine it's much worse in the middle and high schools.

Now you're probably wondering WHY I am writing this post. I am writing it because lately I have had several (4, 5 maybe 6) people I know coming to gain a deeper understand of conservative beliefs or maybe just me personally, I don't know. I believe when people think of me they probably think this. . .

And, yes they are right, but hey forgot to add good-looking and hard-working! ;o)

I don't even know that I can truly explain the difference. I can explain my beliefs and why I believe them. Everybody is just so different and my view of what is conservative to me, may be "too right-winged" for someone else or a little "too liberal" for somebody else. How I see it you're a liberal or a democrat. It's pretty black and white for me. I believe that the two are so drastically different and I struggle to see a middle ground. I believe it comes down to liberals believe that individuals are collectively responsible for the welfare of the entire community. Thus more programs to help the entire community means that higher taxes and bigger government is needed to oversee the programs. Conservatives believe that individuals are responsible for themselves, and that the community benefits from the efforts of the individuals acting in their interests. Thus less governmental programs, less taxes, and less government is the goal.

I think that they main issue that come to mind is abortion. It's no secret that liberals are Pro-choice. Again, I am Pro-life and I  am never quiet on this issue. I believe wholeheartedly that life begins at conception and abortion is murder. Period. Lots of people say things about women having control of their own bodies and I don't care because you got pregnant and murdering an innocent baby is not an okay choice to get you out of the situation. I am, obviously a huge advocate for adoption. I have adoption in my family. There were years I would have done anything to have a baby, now that is not an option for me and if I ever decide to have have a family adoption will be the only option I may have. It's hard seeing someone disregard something that millions want, but can't have.

Liberals rely heavily on equality for everybody. I don't necessarily believe this. I don't think that someone should be accepted to college or hired for a job just because of race or religion. It should be whoever is more qualified for the job. Life is not fair. Liberals support feminism and just typing that word makes me CRINGEEEEEEE... Ewwww. Feminism!!!! My views are patriarchal. I believe that men are to the head of the family, church etc. All my reasons for believing this are Bible based. Next, gun control. If you take guns away from people then only criminals will have them. As we all know, criminals don't follow the law, so they will get guns anyway. Imagine a world when only cops and criminals have guns. And, yes, if you break into my house I will shoot you. Just sayin'... ;)

Of course, I do not support welfare. If you don't work you don't eat. Period. I am tried of working my butt off to pay more taxes, so that people who don't work or people that made more kids than they can afford can drive nice cars, have iPhones and eat all organic. Yes, I believe that they Pledge of Alligence should be read in schools and yes, they should continue to say "Under God." I will close by saying that they I oppose abortion, but support the death penalty 100%. Innocent babies should live and the scum of the earth should die for their crimes. "An eye for an eye...." Oh and another big issue.... should the wealthiest American pay more taxes... Uhhhh NO! Why should they pay more than anybody else?! That just teaches if you work hard and do well you are punished for it. Plus, they already pay something like 97% of all the money that is gathered for taxes. Were would liberals be without rich Republicans paying all those taxes for them?!

Andddddd, I'm done!!             

Thought of the day . . .

"Our culture has accepted two huge lies: The first is that if you disagree with someone's lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don't have to compromise convictions to be compassionate." - Rick Warren