Summer Bummer

I love summer, but for some reason I always get into a summertime funk. Does anyone else experience this syndrome? You know, where you seemingly have tons of days with no school-related responsibilities and you think that you're going to be oh so productive around the house...


In reality I have been very lazy.  Here's what I've actually accomplished so far this summer:
     1. reading
     2. playing on the computer
     3. lounging around
     4. more reading
     5. more playing on the computer
     6. more lounging around


I shudder to think of the laundry and cleaning that should be done, and feeding my family of 5 is a daily struggle!

I have this hanging on my refrigerator!

So in an effort to get out of this summertime funk and be more productive, I'm starting to think about (gasp) school. Every year some of my librarian friends and I get together to plan our beginning-of-the-year orientation. We always do themes (this last year was a cooking theme with Chef Reid Moore), but nothing has been finalized for next year yet. Here are some pictures from past orientations:

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

Super Librarian is my all-time favorite orientation theme. The students loved joining forces with Super Librarian to defeat Captain Chaos, archenemy to book-lovers everywhere. As luck would have it, Captain Chaos had a change of heart by the end of that school year and even became a defender of books and reading! Plus, with this theme the teachers and I got to "fly" around the world (with a little help from a green screen and iMovie). To this day, students still ask me about Captain Chaos and Super Librarian!

So, what's next? I have a couple of ideas for a new theme, but nothing finalized yet. Hmmm, all this thinking has worn me out, and besides, there's PLENTY of summer left to worry about orientation, right?! Well, gotta go now; time to do #6 on my summer list...
~Swersty 

Prayers, please

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post. While my husband, kids and I were on vacation in Mexico, my mother-in-law unexpectedly passed away back at home in Texas. This has been a very trying week for my family, especially my husband. Please hug your loved ones a little tighter and cherish your time with them. Rest in peace, Barbara.

~Swersty

Surfer Chick

I recently discovered a great new picture book about a surfing little chick and her dad. This is what the cover looks like:

Everyone should go buy this totally awesome book by Kristy Dempsey! I love it so much that I just made a book study unit for it called "Surfer Chick and Her Rad Dad" and posted it on my TpT store for only $4.00! Here's a preview:

I want to read Surfer Chick to my kids when school starts back up in August because it'll still feel like summer here in Texas (triple-digit temperatures will do that). I had so much fun planning activities to do with this book  that it almost made me wish I was teaching summer school. Almost...


It's actually a good thing I'm not teaching summer school because if I was I wouldn't be able to go on our upcoming family vacation to Mexico! We are going to Playa del Carmen and although I won't be a surfer chick, I do plan on being a SNORKELING CHICK. And a BEACH CHICK. And also a POOL CHICK. Probably a FRILLY DRINK CHICK, too!


Sadly, summer hasn't started for me yet. I have a librarian inservice tomorrow and then 2 more work days before I can officially say this school year is over. However, I am looking forward to kicking off my summer with the Central Texas Blogger Meet-Up this Saturday! 

Come and join us if you can! I don't know if there will be any surfer chicks among us, but I'll bet some FUN-LOVING BLOGGER CHICKS show up!

~Swersty