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As I reflect upon my first year teaching, I can tell you THE most annoying phrase that I have heard.. every single day – through the regular school year AND throughout summer school.
“I don’t have a pencil.”
In my head – I am thinking.. well, where did you put the one I gave you this morning.. or the one I gave you yesterday… or the 5 I gave you last week?
While I ususally do not respond with these questions.. since I know they will not be answered (although.. I do REALLY want to know which student is EATING all of my pencils…) … I can tell you that pencils drive me INSANE. They are always lost – they are always broken.. the erasers never work.
Is this something small.. YES. But, if you are a teacher.. you know EXACTLY what I am talking about.
Summer school has been the worst. Most kids don’t even bring their backpacks to school .. let alone a pencil. The ones that I give them probably go home with them.. and will never be seen again.
Enter the pencil game:
Each pencil has a piece of painters tape with the students’ initals written on them.
IF the student can keep this pencil for the remainder of summer school – AND hand it in to me on the last day – then they will receive a prize. We voted – and ice cream is going to be the prize.
This has been in place for a week.
Guess what!? NO ONE HAS ASKED ME FOR A PENCIL. Cha-ching 
Not having lose patience every morning has truly made my days amazing.. No one likes to be bombarded by 15 2nd graders asking for a pencil as soon as they enter the classroom!!
What else has been making today FaBuLoUs?!
An egg roll-up for breakfast (accompanied by some cashews.. a great combo… dontcha know?!)
Some ever-so-fabulous Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee…
A finger lickin’ good sandwich for lunch..
And a tremendous new recipe- courtesy of Clean Eating Chelsey for dinner:
Heavy On the Broccoli Pasta Salad! I followed Chelsey’s recipe for the most part.. but changed up the proportions of the honey, mustard, and balsamic … and also added in some peas for good measure. I am thinking of adding some tuna to this for a nice little lunch tomorrow
Clearly – my daily bout of exercise managed to help keep my mood hoppin’ as well … even though I had a little ripple in my plans. See – I was hoping to do a little warm-up on the treadmill.. and the hit up a step aerobic class. I did my jog.. ended up doing 2.4 miles. Then I went to the group fitness room. 5-7 minutes later.. I was back out in the gym.. as the instructor was a no show. I did 20 minutes of ab work and hopped back onto the treadmill. In total – I did 5.5 miles in roughly 45 minutes. Still a great workout – even though it did NOT go as planned…
Still not convinced I am in a delightful mood today?! Well.. I’ve got another little project going on in creative department:
Tie Dye! I am making some shirts for my 3-day For a Cure teammates.. and started the process today!
How can you NOT be happy if you are tie dying shirts?!
Hopefully they turn out okay.. I guess only time will tell!
Hope you had a fantabulous day as well…
Tell me one thing that made your day sparkling! (or more then one if you’d like 
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{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh my gosh I used to LOVE tie dying shirts!! I had SO many as a kid! I give you credit for having the energy to do that after work!
Cait’s Plate recently posted..Will Work for Natural Light
Remember.. I work until 12 during the summer. It is a tiny bit different
Haha, even still!!
Cait’s Plate recently posted..Just Peachie
What a great idea, I taught CCD for a while and that’s so funny you mention the pencil thing bc that always drove me crazy. And it was only one night a week!
The best part of my day is that my husband surprised me with our brand new countertop in our kitchen and I’ve been waiting foreeever for it
Jessica @ Stylish Stealthy & Healthy recently posted..I Always Wanted My Own Sauna
See that’s exactly why I could never be a teacher, I would never think of that for the pencils! smart!
You may be buying a bit of ice cream at the end of the summer though
One thing that made my day sparkling was coming in 2nd in my race! woohoo!
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen recently posted..5 tips for working out on the road
Eh thats fine.. I was going to throw thema little celebration anyway.. so now ice crem can just count for that!
Have fun tye dying! That sounds like fun
. One thing today that was awesome was seeing one of my best friends for the last time before she moves to Chicago…I mean it was sad, but great to spend time with her!
Lindsay@ In Sweetness and In Health recently posted..Whole Wheat Strawberry-Orange Muffins
Aww.. stinks when friends move away.. but nwow you have a reason to take many trips to Chicago! It is a great city!!!
nice trick!!!!! you’re so smart…lol and resourceful. I haven’t lost my pen in MONTHS, can I have some ice cream?
Kat @ Living Like the Kings recently posted..What’s in my camera bag
Absolutely! I’ll have my butler deliever it to you personally
SO true about the pencils! I teach first grade, and am asked probably 20 times a day for a new pencil. I ended up doing the same thing, putting the names on the pencils, but didn’t give a reward for not losing it- definitely something to try next year!
It makes me go INSANE!! And I have one of the expensive x-acto sharpeners.. so I don’t let the kids use it… and I swear they break the tips on purpose. Just so I have to sharpen it. Personal pencil sharpeners don’t work because the shavings always end up ALL over the ground
Hahah cute!! Kids will ALWAYS respond to ice cream!
That’s a great idea for the pencils! Kids will do anything for a party (or a treasure box). I teach high school, so if they don’t have what they need and can’t bum one off a friend I make them leave collateral (like a cell phone, sunglasses, etc…).
Christine @ BookishlyB recently posted..Books on Your Back- Off With Her Head!
Leaving a cell phone would definitely make the pencil get returned!
I keep a box of golf pencils in my music room. The kids hate using them because there is no eraser, so they usually have their own
Holly @ Pink Runner recently posted..Half Marathon Plans
Super smart! Your kids don’t ask for an eraser?! Maybe not with the golf pencil. Maybe I’ll use those next year if the labeled pencil goes missing!
Ah haha thats such a great idea to solve the pencil problem!
My hats off to you as theres no way I could be a teacher, just don’t have the patience! The thing that made my day amazing was finishing work waayy earlier than expected! yeehawww! And then making some yummy granola that i’m just about to go an enjoy a bowl of right now! Hope today is just as fabulous for you! 
Hayley @ Oat couture recently posted..Raw Antioxidant Packed Soup!
Ahh I love getting out of work early. It makes the whole day seem a gazillion hours longer!
Haha! I always thought that if I became a teacher I would also eventually become a convicted murderer. I have no patience. I love the pencil game! Genuis idea!
Emily @ Life on Food recently posted..Blueberry Cake
There are def some days where I need to exhibit better patience! But.. I love my kids at the end of the day
Smart teacher! I would have done anything to win (ice cream weakness even back then).
Have fun tye dying! remember how popular that used to be? i even had tye dyed Keds. We need to bring it back!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted..Hear This: My First Giveaway
Yayyyyyy!!! Found your site through Kristine @ running on hungry! You are gorgeeee and I am SO with you on the pencil thing!! More reason to want to teach Phys Ed!!! Your food looks RI-DIC!
Katy @fitinheels recently posted..Burritos and Amazing Blogger Award!!!
Hi Katy!! Ugh.. I’ve gone through so many phases with pencils. Even tying them to yarn and then putting them around the students’ neck. Like a necklace.
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