First Week Rants

Oh hey remember me, I blog around here. Or something like that.

Let's be real for a moment:

I haven't read any blogs on bloglovin in almost a week. Don't get me started on other forms of social media.

There are at least 3 episodes of PLL on my DVR box.

And I have only washed my hair once this week.

Happy first week of school!

Real talk, I hate the first week of school. Don't get me wrong I love being back, interacting with the students everyday brings a great big fat smile to my face and I crave routine. 

But the first week is not routine: our campus runs homeroom 2 hours each day for the first week of school. The rest of the year its two 40 minute periods a week. We do this to go over school wide norms and procedures and don't get me wrong, I see the importance in this...hell I wrote all of the lesson plans for pbis...but only seeing my classes for 29 minutes a day is rough. What can really be done in 29 minutes?

Let me tell you, I talk about my classroom rules.

And then the class leaves and I repeat the rules again, and again, again and again. Until my voice is sore and my feet hate me.

I run a technology shop so for me procedures are my bread and butter, I spend the first two weeks reviewing them. Drilling them into their pretty little heads until they have no choice but to conform to my crazy. And for the rest of the year I generally have very few discipline issues. It's worth it but so exhausting. I just want to fast forward to week three when I give 10 minutes worth of instructions and they spend the period doing something creative, solving real world problems and actually using technology. And I get to really know them. #thatsthedream

While I am on a roll, why don't I share a few more first week rants with you:

one. The students get to make schedule change requests for the next two weeks based on how much they like me, the students in the class and their lunch schedule. The important stuff. So my roster changes literally every hour and our new grading/attendance sucks a big...

two. My class size is way too big. 32 students. 30 computers. Do the math. We are a magnet/comprehensive school and comprehensive students have block english/math so there are fewer electives that aren't magnet electives so they have been packing the classes. I have been biting my tongue until schedule changes even out but CTE (my departments) policy is there are no more than 26 students for safety, they literally only gave me 26 chairs to make that point. Management wise I can handle 30, but I don't even have a place for two extra students to sit.

three. My teacher computer has a virus and literally every time I try to take attendance tells me I am forbidden or has 800 pop ups making different noises. Fun times.

four. I don't have a homeroom, our homeroom is called Social Emotional Learning and I am on the SEL leaders team, cause I can't learn to say no. I was told I could use this time to plan for PBIS stuff since I am the leader of that. But literally every SEL (twice a day) I spend running around campus collecting attendance sheets...you know to help out. I obviously will/do have other duties but since its the first week this is where I am needed. Fine whatever so glad I did my make up and hair. But then I saw a fellow SEL leader making her classroom copies and I wanted to choke her. #proudadultmoment

five. This one is long, you were warned and has basically made me feel like the biggest b*tch all day.

I teach Robotics, Web Design and Career Technology. Since I was hired my principal has expected me to have a team compete in a Robotics tournament each year, last year was my first time. I need to find grant money to do so, hello this weekends to do's. But it is something that is expected of my job, you know that whole other duties line in contracts.

I tried doing this after school but no one showed up once they learned there was work involved. So last year I ran it through the class and just took the 10 best students. It worked out decently well. My plan is to repeat this process this year, but it means I have to teach Robotics incredible fast in order to have them be ready by December. Like a fast that doesn't bode well for accommodations or modifications. But in the last two semesters my students have really surprised me with what they can accomplish with the bar set that high.

This year I have 6 lifeskills students enrolled in my Robotics classes, this was tried two years ago and then stopped because it wasn't a good fit, but we have a new program leader and so here we are again. The capabilities are all over the place and yes there are two teacher assistants present but some of them don't/can't/will never get on the computer and some of them just sit on the floor and play with toys they brought. 

In a highly mobile classroom with lots of equipment this just seems unsafe to me. Seriously I had the easiest day until that class today and I am trying to cover my 25 students, not trip over students on the floor and at least help those lifeskills students try and log in that can. As it is the class is overloaded so if a student is just going to sit there and not log in it irks me. And at this point we haven't introduced the 9000+ legos. 

I understand the need for inclusion into the mainstream classroom but I feel like there needs to be a realistic chance of success and I don't see that with most of them. At the speed in which I teach the class in order to get ready for the competitions I feel like they will never keep up. I could say they do every other project or something but they always end up being completely lost as projects require set up and I only have one project table. Students are constantly moving to get supplies, practice and legos are every where. But if a lego is thrown they all get locked up. end. of story. 

Isn't the point of inclusion so they start to accumulate to the mainstream classroom, see those little successes and build skills to allow them to progress. Maybe I am being quick to judge, unwilling to accommodate or change...all thoughts that have ran through my head. I know the class gets treated like the red headed step child and there aren't a lot of options but I feel like the choices should be made based on the best fit both for the lifeskills students individually (not as a group) and the class as a whole. 

So today reluctantly, I emailed the lifeskills teacher kept my focus on safety and how as of now the class isn't going to be a safe environment given the logistics of class size, range of the lifeskills students abilities and types of materials. I did offer a solution I have another class, Career Tech, with only 15 students and we could make it work but I know the times don't mesh well with their schedule. So we shall see what her thoughts are come tomorrow.

Either way I feel like a selfish b*tch. My students and classes mean the world to me and I want the best experience for all of them but I also can't sacrifice our competitions so I feel like I am stuck.

#endrant

Don't worry I do have positive moments from this week, cause this post took a debbie downer turn quick, but I think I will save those for tomorrow's Five for Friday. A sign I am back at blogging regularly this is not.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Friday, I figure if we aren't doing this tomorrow we will all be alright...

Face Palm

And just like that summer is over.

I wish I could say that I did something glorious on my last day of summer but I went and finished my classroom, worked out and I am planning an early bed routine. Planning key word, haven't been to bed before midnight in over six weeks.

We have all day professional development for the next two days 8-4 with a little 30 minute lunch. Yippie. And then we get two days to complete the two page admin checklist we are given. And I guess the expectation is that we spend all weekend setting up our classroom and writing lessons.

Hence why I carved eight days of my summer to set up my classroom, cover my first two weeks lesson plans and all of my pbis responsibilities. #lifeofateacher

My main focus this year is to prevent all of the things that annoy me from happening. Happy teacher = happy life. Someone should start texting students that now...

And my students have the power to annoy the sh*t out of me sometimes. I love them but goodness they can be annoying.

So all of my little Monday Made It's are focused around preemptively saving my sanity. Real talk I am sure my students will figure out other ways to annoy me but that's another story for another day.

Annoyance one picking up the paper at the door. We need paper about once a week in my classroom, generally at the beginning of a unit. Let me lay out exactly what happens:

I set a stack of papers at the door.

I greet the students at the door and ask them each individually to pick up a copy.

The first five students accomplish this like pros.

Then a student needs to talk to me about something: the sky, the weather, what I am wearing...

And the next 15 students fail to pick up the copy.

The bell rings, we do the warm up and I start explaining the paper.

"Miss I don't have a paper."

Me: They were at the door.

And so now 10 students all get up and mosey to the door for the paper.

I try again.

"Miss I don't have a paper."

Me: They were at the door, we just covered this.

If I had the money I would have neon lights flashing around the paper, but I don't, so I used neon duct tape and wrote all around it to get the students attention. It might not be the ultimate fix but it has to be better than the scene above. #Fingerscrossed

A nice new metal shelf appeared in my room so I claimed it as my own, possession is nine tenths of the law right and that shelf is now directly across from the pick up spot. I used duct tap across the top to create three sections for each of my preps copies. And then have folders for each periods copies later on in the week. The joys of teaching three preps that are never back to back.

Annoyance two the tardy students. We have a really really big tardy issue at school, we have a set tardy consequence system but it is so hard keeping up with which consequence each of my 180 students is on. Then there is the awesome arguments about which tardy the student is on because they have the memory of a inebriated person. Let's pull out the old tardy sheet, that has a spot for the reason for the tardy on it (school wide form)...

Me: You were tardy last Wednesday, you signed your name First Name, Last Name sorry you forgot that.

Student: Nope that wasn't me.

Me: You wrote that you were bitten by a dog as the reason for your tardy.

Student: Oh yea...

Student 2: Oh yea and I was late because I helped him...

Student 3: I was late cause I killed the dog.

Insert all students laughing.

Thank you student for wasting the last 5 minutes of my time, now please call home.

This semester I am doing something a little different starting with a Tardy Binder. It's divided out by period and each period has enough sheets for all of the students. There is no space for the reason why they were tardy ps I don't care and the student just adds the date for each tardy. I then can go back through and check off as we cover each consequence. And each six weeks we start over with new copies. This will make writing up referrals super easy as all the data is in one place and not on five different weekly rosters. I made this little nifty spreadsheet which is fully editable and free if you are interested.

All I need to do now is find a way to tie a pen to the binder so the student can't use the "I don't have anything to write with" excuse. #iamsmarterthanamiddleschooler

My last and final annoyance has nothing to do with the students and everything to do with the word wall. The stupid thing melted during the summer. Last summer I accidentally ripped the old one. So basically I hate the stupid word wall that the students never bother to look at but admin expects to be up and current. 

Last year on my word wall rant a fellow teacher suggested using scrapbook paper and adhering it individually to the wall I figured it was worth a shot so why not. I laminated all of the paper, cut them out and then hot glued clothespins in order to hold the actual words. I then both taped and hot glued them to the wall. Better safe than sorry. 

I ran out of scrapbook paper about half way through Friday so I figured I would finish up today, I was welcomed by a half hanging word wall poster and border. So I retaped it and then sprayed clear spray paint over it all. This wall seriously hates me. I do like the way it turned out just need to add a few more clothespins. And now I perhaps need to do some sort of voodoo witch craft spell to keep the darn thing up throughout the year.

And that's it. Here's hoping there will be little actual face palming this semester. A light beating of the head against brick perhaps but I have always been a realist.

Linking up with Tara.

Meet The Teacher

In order to get 'ahead' this week I have been tweaking aka adding more gifs to my first week powerpoints and trying to come up with a really great two minute all about me to give the kids. 

This year is a little bittersweet because I just completed my first cycle of students, so I will have a lot lot lot less repeat students which means I will really need to work on those relationships and letting them get to know me. Falling Into First created a very very popular Meet The Teacher link up and the timing felt perfect.

My name is The Babbling Box or A, I really try to keep my name off this blog just to protect my identity, you know while I am busy filling you in on all my comings and goings and every picture I take, glass of wine I consume and funny classroom story. Real talk, my students are crafty and them finding this little ole blog scares the crap out of me.

This will mark my fourth year teaching middle school, side note - there are not nearly as many of us middle school bloggers as there are elementary bloggers and I have always wondered why. Anyways back on track. I teach all three grade levels career electives: robotics, web design and career technology. Before you say how easy and fun that must be lets be real, I teach a demographic that doesn't have access to technology so forcing them to get on a computer everyday is a battle. Yes we have fun. A whole lot of fun. But it ain't a walk in the park. #endrant

Me in middle school: a little collage I made to show my students that I am and will always be more awkward and weird than they are.

I live in Austin with my boyfriend aka the mister, we have been together for over 7 years. No we are not married. No it doesn't bother me. No we don't have kids. No it doesn't bother me. Just practicing for when my students start badgering me...

I am the oldest sibling which pretty much explains my bossy ways, need to take care of everyone and my patience. I have a brother the firefighter aka the hulk, a very sassy younger sister and a little brother who just turned eight. Yes eight, I was 21 when he was born.

These are a few of my favorite things...

Music. Target. Tacos and queso. Shopping. Pinterest. Blogging. Maxi shirts. Did I mention shopping? Makeup. Working out. Hanging out with the mister. Sister time. The beach. Skulls. Bad Reality TV. The pool. Playing in picmonkey. Skyping with the bestie. Instagram. And booze. Although I should probably leave that out on the first day of school.

If you weren't a teacher, what would you want to be?

When I graduated high school I wanted to be a news anchor. When I graduated college I wanted to be a event planner. A few years after that I wanted to go into marketing and graphic design. So I pretty much just found a job that involved all three. I still really want to be a counselor but that's a long term goal. 

Three little words to describe you. 

Weird. Giggly. Dedicated.

Finish the sentence, "______________ said no teacher ever!"

Yes I would like to attend another meeting, said no teacher ever.

It's your birthday and you can invite anyone dead or alive to the party. Who are you inviting?

Jacqueline Kennedy. Audrey Hepburn. Marilyn Monroe. Grace Kelly. Madonna. Talk about some major girl power.

You get to pick one super power. What is it?

The ability to stop time, there never seems to be enough time in the day once school starts and I usually end up putting blogging or the mister on the back burner. Awesome girlfriend award goes to me.

What's your favorite quote or saying?

This changes depending on my mood but these two have become my mantra's this summer.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Night owl, could you please find me a school that just starts at 10:00 am already. Please and thank you.

What is your favorite resource that you have created in your TPT store?

Hands down my blogging unit, we use kidblog which is free and spend a few weeks focusing on posting information and pictures to the internet in a safe manner. The kids are mostly engaged because they are talking about themselves, their interests, the latest gif they laughed at, etc. Basically I get to teach them how to be mini bloggers and I love it!

Share something we might not know about you.

I can be very insecure at times, something I probably haven't talked about on this blog at all. I also am a big brat when I have to do something I don't want to do for instance the three hour pd next week on drama based instruction I am required to do. If you could be in my head you would probably here: "I don't want to do this. Can I just play on my phone? Could I go to the bathroom and hide? They want to blindfold someone, avert eyes! avert eyes! Nope not going to do, just not. They want us to do what?"

It probably has a little something to do with my insecurities but my brattiness can rival that of a teenager at times, its something I am working on though. We are all just works in progress, right?

And there you have it, me in a nut shell or a long babble...so I am guessing that means...

Now its your turn to link up!

Organization = Sanity

Last week I bit the bullet and went seeking my classroom keys, technically we don't have to report back for duty until next Tuesday but in my head there is just too much to do to wait until 60 other teachers are fighting over the one laminator and two always broken copiers. To me it just seemed saner to end summer a little early in order to protect my sanity...or something like that.

Please tell me we aren't the only school to have the 'stupid' copier....

I was banking on there being a few melted bulletin boards, a classroom in Texas with no AC for 8+ weeks wasn't leaving much hope in my mind. I was pleasantly surprised to only find two of my bulletin boards falling off the walls: one which I think I can salvage and the my word wall aka my arch nemesis.

The OCD freak that lives in side of me wanted to fix that right this very instant BUT the rational side of me decided to make a to do list of what needed to get done in order of most important, while balancing my PBIS responsibilities and knowing when teachers would be coming up to campus next week. Who is this person and what have I done with the real A?

Once the physical part of the room was set up and ready to go, aka I double checked that none of my furniture walked away, I decided that getting myself organized trumped fighting with that stupid word wall. 

I know there are a lot of teachers out there that are all about the Erin Condren planner, and don't get me wrong they are cute but I would rather buy a new pair of shoes than pay that much money for a planner. #realtalk  

Over the semesters I have bounced back and forth between planner, no planner, planner, no planner. Stupid Target and their cute planners. But I think I have finally found what works for me: one binder with everything I need. Calendar, check. To do list, check. Seating charts and class rosters, check. Meeting notes, check. Etc. All in one nice neat binder that can travel easily with me. 

Last summer I purchased this item from TPT which allowed me to print the pretty divider sheets, there is a newly updated version now but I am sure it looks the similar. 

And this summer I purchased this calendar from TPT and this might be my favorite piece of all, a calendar with a specific section for meal planning is what I call a double win. 

Using the school's ink and a binder I already had this Monday Made It cost me a total of $14.00. Obviously a binder isn't a very sexy Monday made it, but its practical...and sometimes very very rarely I do practical. Also I have been busting my butt getting all PBIS materials ready and planning staff professional development so there really isn't anything sexy I have been working on. 

Insert gif of me dreaming of glitter, hot glue and neon scrapbook paper here.

I then set to organizing the binder and setting up my calendar which also includes my to do list so I could plan out what exactly needed to be done to get my classroom and myself ready for school. Breaking up all the tasks throughout the week put my mind at ease and is certainly helping my sanity this school year.

I leave my seating chart for the end of the first day of school, my roster is changing literally by the second all day long so pre assigning seats is like negotiating with drunk people. 

Plus at the middle school level they will either lie about their name, for weeks on end if necessary, or just blatantly sit somewhere they shouldn't. So I stand at the door and each student draws a number, I write it next to their name on the class roster and they find that assigned computer number. Yes, it might cause a bit of a line out the door. But I have never gotten into a stand off over a seating arrangement with a student because its not me making the decision, its the luck of the draw. Insert evil laugh.

I made this simple spreadsheet in order to track student data it has a place for: name, student ID, attendance, warm up and daily grade with a small notes section. I also color code the names column to document their accommodations: blue=sped, yellow=LEP, green=504.

I like having everything I need for each period on one single sheet of paper and I hole punch it and put in the binder right above the seating chart for each period. It's free at my TPT store and also completely customizable for your needs.

With my Teacher Binder made, organized and ready to go for the first day of school I feel ready to welcome back the students. Well as soon as I figure out that stupid word wall...

What little tools do you use to stay organized throughout the year?

Planner or no planner?

Linking up with Tara.

08/2014 Goals

It's August 4th and I am just now setting my August goals.

I am also setting my goals while watching Girl Meets World. 

Let's recap my July Goals and see how much I accomplished...you know considering I had the whole month off and all.

blogging. 

Stop using so many hashtags, yea right but really I can try. 

Blog once a week, at least. 

Work on tweaking my sidebar text sizes and fonts and a grab me button.

Connect with more bloggers, Haley had mentioned she has a tendency to think another girl could be a great friend but then never acts on it, something I do ALL. OF. THE. TIME. Yes that needed caps, so I want to try and comment on blogs more than rather just think ohh I like this blogger...next.

Pretty much accomplished all of these goals besides who really wants to stop using hashtags. 

health and fitness.

Get back into a weekly routine: 5 days a week.

Buy bigger weights or commit to a new gym membership.

Continue the whole30 journey.

Take a few days off drinking each week.

Let's be real when you have no job to go to the next morning its hard to turn down booze. #thestruggleisreal

house.

Reorganize and set up a better closet.

No new clothes shopping!

Organize my and set up my bathroom.

Create a gallery wall in my tv room and hang curtains.

I bought less than five items so really it should probably be considered accomplished. I thought it would be 'cute' to paint a design on my curtains and I am currently hating it and now just seeking new gray curtains.  

school.

Research and make a to do list for grad school.

This didn't happen but I did make a plan for whom I need to talk to in the district so we will see this goal come back around September.

personal.

Lay out by the pool.

Read a few books.

Reconnect with friends I haven't seen lately.

Go to the beach.

All and all I would give July a solid A and myself a little pat on the back! Fingers crossed August goes just as successfully.

blogging. 

Blog once a week, at least. 

Work on tweaking my facebook header to match my new blog header.

Respond to all comments within the week. 

health and fitness.

Complete all 31 days of the August Blogilates Calendar.

Write up a meal list of my favorite whole30/paleo meals for when school starts.

Take a few days off drinking each week.

house/finance.

Stop making piles of things and put them away when they come in the house, this apartment is just too small for that crap.

No credit card spending.

Keep to my back to school shopping budget, but enjoy every cent of it!

school.

Set up classroom, this week. 

Not let PBIS overwhelm me.

Stay positive, patient and flexible. 

personal.

Continue laying out by the pool. Hello vitamin D.

Read a few books.

Make a dentist appointment.

I encourage you to link up to, even if you just have a few goals...or your goal is just to survive the start of school...we all have something we want to get done this August!

Linking up with: Carly, LeeAnn, and Kimberlee, More Pieces of Me and On the Daily Express and Much Ado About Monday.

August Currently

Since we I said goodbye to July yesterday I thought what better way to say hello to August than linking up with Farley's Currently.

My whole currently is pretty self explanatory but when given the chance to babble when have I not?

Listening: 

There is something I love about listening to CMT's Top 20 on the weekends maybe you have to really like country music to appreciate it or maybe I am just a sucker for country boys...

Last summer my sister and I were lucky enough to see Kenny Chesney play in Central Park and we both walked away reborn fans and his new single certainly doesn't disappoint.

Loving: 

The last two summers I was lucky enough to be able to take vacations to NYC and Orlando right before school started, while I had a blast on both trips it definitely lead me to going back to school a little drained and working most of July to get my room set up. This summer has been nothing but relaxing, getting settled into the apartment and focusing on working out which I think will lead to a smoother start of school.

Thinking: 

PBIS or PBS depending on what your school calls it was on my June Currently but its still on my mind. I will be the new head of the committee, I am pretty sure there is a specific title but I have no clue what it is. There also seems to be some sort of expectation that I have been working on stuff this summer, but I haven't because no one will tell me what exactly needs to be done. Do you work at a school where no one responds to emails? It drives me batty.

Wanting: 

Classroom keys so I can start coming and going as I please to tackle my room set up, I also need to figure out if the AC/electricity is back on in my room. The district saved money this summer by shutting these off but 800 emails from them later I can't recall when it was coming back on because lets be real I have no intention of sweating it out in a 100 degree classroom that's insanity. 

Also not sure what has melted off the walls at this point or what actually got cleaned this summer so little helpers to help me move and re-set up the 31 computers in my lab would be a lifesaver. All during summer school I was running into my old students at the stores or the pool and now that I want to employ their able hands its a ghost town. Go figure.

A million bucks is pretty self explanatory: back to school shopping. Duh!

Needing:

Back in May I made the decision to move to Paelo/Whole30 lifestyle, I will say that I am about 75% there. I haven't given up booze, cheese or cheats every once in a while cause that would be crazy. With so much time on my hand I have been experimenting with so many yummy recipes but I know when school starts there will be no way I can spend an hour or two each night cooking so I want to write out ten or so go to recipes that I can have on hand rather than spending hours lost in the world of pinterest.

Here's to enjoying the last 15 days of summer, getting my classroom set up and making this school year the best one yet! Oh and go link up with Farley, cause I am nosy and want to know what your currently doing.

Goodbye July, Hello August!

As we close the book on July I am pretty sure every teacher out there is feeling the same mixed emotions as I am...

No. Just me. Alright then, I will go back to the wine bottle...

Since July has speed by entirely too quickly and most of my days have looked like this:

I haven't posted nearly enough about the comings and goings from July so what better way to say goodbye to July than with a list of my favorite moments. Sound good? I assume that is a yes so let's begin... 

One. 

At the beginning of July the mister and I took a road trip to St. Louis for the Fourth of July weekend. We saw his family. Hung out with some of his old friends. Went to a baseball game. Attended two concerts VIP style thanks to his wonderful friend. Thus spoiling me for all future concerts. There was fireball and booze. Said friend cackled like a chicken at all night dinner at 3 in the morning. So pretty much the trip rocked. My liver hated it.

Two.

My old roommate, is having a baby boy in September so I headed down to Houston to celebrate mid July. It was a small shower and out of the seven girls there, four of us were bridesmaids in her wedding so it made the whole morning seem like catching up with girlfriends. I am generally very awkward at shindigs like this but I had the best visit. We were too busy gabbing about anything and everything to remember to take any pictures together. #bloggerfail But I did get plenty of pictures of the tea room's decor. Country chic meets feather boas? Not my style but whatever.

And I had soo much fun putting together a cute little present for her, probably the first time in my life baby shopping wasn't completely overwhelming...

Three.

I made a second trip to Houston the following weekend, cause I love my sister. We celebrated Emily finishing college with a family lunch. My mom and dad at the same table is always a little awkward, it's only really happened twice so maybe it just takes time, but regardless it was nice to be able to have some family time and enjoy a yummy mexican lunch. Side note, no matter what we are celebrating we always go mexican food, a tradition I LOVE! 

With three different people taking pictures at the same time I don't think there is one picture when we are all looking at the same place at the same time.

My sister and her boyfriend were my gracious hosts for the weekend and after staying with them I might consider going to Houston more often then every six months. A nice bed to sleep in, good company, a shopping partner, the beach is around the corner and plenty of wine. #heaven

Four.

Some of my July goals were to finish decorating the second bedroom aka my TV room, organize my closet and redo my bathroom and I can mark all of those off the list as DONE. I already posted about my bathroom here, so no need to repeat. 

I spent a little more money than necessary but my closet came together to an actual functioning master piece. Meaning I can actually see most of my clothes, can't turn around but it will at least work for while were in this apartment. 

I will say this, velvet hangers are the shit. If you want to feel like a legitimate adult, go buy some and you will see what I mean. Or perhaps I am the only weirdo that gets way too invested in closet organization. Also they save tons of space in your closet if you are working with a small space, plus amazon has these hooks that allow you hang a lot of clothes in a smaller space, amazeballs! Either way my closet might be tiny but it feels like a million bucks, or I think I can live with it...positive thinking?

Five.

I also managed to set up two gallery walls, meaning I finally figured out what to do with all of things from the house that had no home in the apartment. I blame pinterest but I have become slightly obsessed with gallery walls and knew they would be the perfect way to brighten up this 'lovely' apartment and also use all of my many frames. Side note, this apartment is so crappy that as I hammer things on one wall things actually fall off other ways...like the cable jack.

Excuse the terrible lighting, my room actually has no overhead light so yeah...that's fun.

Six.
I have been a big big fan of Tone It Up and love doing there workouts but I have been a little burnt out of doing the same routines plus I realized I was spending 30 minutes just picking out videos something that won't fly once school starts so to interwebs I went. I stumbled across Blogilates and have been loving trying out her video's I have definitely been more sore and pushing myself harder...hello 100 burpees today. She has a calendar for each month so it takes the guess work out of what videos I should be doing and to keep myself motivated I printed it out and framed it. Here's hoping I continue this once school actually starts, which is generally the kiss of death for my workouts.

Seven. 
And finally July can absolutely not be talked about without a little Grey...or a lot depending on how many times you watched the trailer. Yes I am talking about 50 Shades of Grey, and yes I watched the trailer on repeat too many times to count. No matter what your stance on the book or the movie is please tell me this doesn't entice you just a little...

Ending on a seven drives my OCD insane BUT this post got really really long, oops?!? All in all I say July was a success and maybe I am not entirely on board with waking up early again I am itching to get my hands on my classroom keys and saying Hello to August.

Linking up with Belinda.