The Start of the Kitchen Remodel.... Lots more to do and show.

To start off, I bought my house three years ago when I landed my first teaching job.  It was a year full of excitement.  From getting the teaching job of my dreams, to purchasing a house by myself, and moving.  It was one of the most wonderful feelings I could imagine.  The only problem was I didn't have enough time to work on the house to make it the way I would like it to be since I closed on the house two days before I started school.  First year teaching was hard and I was more concerned about learning the ropes of teaching kindergarten then worrying about decorating and remodeling my house.  In June 2012, I married the man of my dreams.  He moved into my house after the wedding and now I have talked him into starting to remodel the WHOLE house one room at a time.  :) He was not to fond of this idea... because he knows how picky I am. We decided to start this adventure in the kitchen.  (which we still have a ways to go) I didn't think it would be such hard work and take so much time. Here are the things that I wanted done in the kitchen.

*Cabinets painted to white (don't like the wood) ~Done~
*New handles for cabinets ~Done~
*Put crown molding on the tops of the cabinets ~Done~
*Paint crown molding too
*Pull the Mica Laminate off the walls behind the counter tops ~Done~
*Fix wall after Mica is pulled off (Plaster and sand)
*Paint the walls
*Put in granite counter tops
*Put in engineering hardwood floors

The ones that have red beside are the ones we have accomplished. The others are still in progress. As you can tell we have a ways to go!! Here are some pictures of the progress.  I will keep posting updates as we get more done. So keep coming back :)

Here is the kitchen before we started to paint. (sorry we didn't get one before we took the doors off)

 Here is some pictures of our progress in painting.

We started putting the doors back on :)

We put new hardware on the cabinet doors. The color of the cabinets are Swiss Coffee from SW

Taking the Mica Laminate off the wall was not fun.

Putting the crown molding up on the cabinets (They are not painted the same color yet) Still in progress.... and the start of the plastering of the wall to fix the spot from the mica laminate. 

we still have a ways to go but it is on its way!! Today we have started sanding the plaster down and painting the crown molding.  We hopefully should be able to start painting the walls tomorrow or Sunday! Then I can get the granite counter tops!! Here is a sneak peek of the counter tops that I want and the engineering hard wood floors.

 

I can not wait till this project is done.

Christmas Jars for Gifts

Merry Christmas to all my friends/followers.  I hope you each had a fantastic and blessed day with your families. I know that this Christmas is going to be a Christmas to remember.  This was the first Christmas that my husband and I spent as a married couple. :) It was amazing to spend today with both sides of the family! I love seeing all the smiles and love that is shared.  Before Christmas I was trying to think of a nice little gift that I could give everyone that I worked with and to some of the family members.  I spent hours on pinterest looking at all of the Christmas gift idea and I found one that I fell in LOVE with! It is the Christmas Chex mix Jar! I got the idea from Amanda's Party's To Go. Look at the jars I made..... I even made one for the MAILMAN :)

Here is how I made the jars:

The only things you need to make it are:

Jars,  Chocolate Chex Cereal, M&M's, Muddy Buddies, Pretzels, Candy Canes

*I took a large bowl out of the kitchen and a large spoon.  

*Take all the ingredients listed above and mix it together then pour it into the jars. 

*I took tissue paper and cut it into squares to place over the lid to add a spice of color. 

*I took green ribbon and hot glued it around the lid for decorations

* I took yarn for the small jars and gift ribbon for the large jars to tie the candy canes on.

*After I finished I put round gift tag stickers on the top of the jar. 

NOW YOU ARE DONE AND READY TO GIVE IT TO SOMEONE

I made them for my co-workers, friends, family, and even the mailman. 

Here is the jar I made the mailman...

Wrote on tag.."Thank you for bring our mail to us everyday! Merry Christmas"

We placed it in the mailbox that night and it was gone the next day! I hope he liked it!

I hope everyone had a BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

Liebster Blog Award

Thank you to the The Reinspired Teacher, Multiage Days, Teaching is a Gift, Mrs Poultney's Ponderings, The Kindergarten Teacher, and More Than Math for nominating me for the Liebster Award! I can't believe I was nominated 6 Times.  The Liebster Award is given by bloggers to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. It’s to show that new bloggers are appreciated and help spread the word about our blogs.

Here are the rules:

1. You must post 11 random things about yourself.

2. Answer the questions that the nominator set for you.

3. Create 11 questions for the people you nominate.

4. Choose 11 other blogs with fewer than 200 followers to nominate and link them in your post.

5. You cannot “tag back” the other blog, but leave a comment on this post with the URL of your Liebster post so I can learn more about you & see who you nominate.

 11 Random Things about myself:
1. I have my motorcycle licenses.
2. We are remodeling the kitchen at this time.
3. I love to wake board.
4. In high school, I ran a mile in 6.50 minutes.
5. I love the beach.
6. I just got married this past June to the love of my life.
7. I work two jobs.
8. I bought my own house by myself at the age of 21
9. I graduate from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
10. My husband has gotten me into liking football. (shh don't tell him)
11. I have been teaching for three years.


 Here are the answers to the questions posted by the The Reinspired Teacher:  

1. What is something you've always wanted to do but haven't tried yet?
I have always wanted to run a 5k.  It seems that I have no time extra time to prepare for one.  Working at the school and at Zales can take up a lot of time in ones day. I hope that I will be able to meet this goal within the next year to two.
2. If you couldn't be a teacher, what would you choose for your career?
 I absolutely LOVE being a teacher.  That would be a hard decision to make because I can't envision myself doing anything else. Being a teacher has been my dream since I was a little girl.  If I had to choose I guess I would do something in sales where I could be with the public.  I guess I would still be working at Zales haha.
3. What was your very first job?
My first job was when I was sixteen years old.  I worked at the Lowes Foods near my house.
4. What was the last book you read (personally, not for your class or children)?
50 Shades of Grey
5. What is your favorite animal?
I LOVE a dog!
6. How long have you been blogging?
I have been blogging for about a year and a half.  Still New to the blogging world.
7. What is your favorite tv show?
I have gotten into the tv show "The Walking Dead" and "How I met your Mother"
8. What is one item you can't live without?
I don't think I could live without my contacts/glasses. I would be BLIND if I didn't have them in everyday. 
9. What is your favorite food?
I think my all time favorite food would be CHICKEN!
10. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
 I use to be an extrovert throughout college and high school. I feel that as I get older I am more of an introvert.
11. Do you play games on the computer? if so, what is your favorite?
I don't play any games on my computer :( 


 Here are the answers to the questions posted by the Multiage Days:
1.  What is your favorite comfort food?
ICE CREAM!! I love Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream. YUM YUM!
2.  What is a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?
I love the song "You are my Sunshine" Every time I hear that song it makes me think of my dad because he use to sing it.
3.  What sound do you love?
Christmas bells.  Christmas is my favorite holiday and it brings so much happiness to my family:)
4.  If you could throw any kind of party, what kind would it be and who would it be for?
I think that I would throw my parents an anniversary party.  They have been married since they were 17 years old.  Their marriage is one that you look at and say "I hope my marriage is as strong as theirs"
5. If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I would love to learn how to surf.  I have always through it would be fun.
6.  If you could be any fictional character from a book you read aloud in your classroom, who would you be?
The Very Hungry Caterpillar because I would turn into a beautiful butterfly and could fly all over the world.
7.  What is one chore that you dislike the most?
LAUNDRY!
8.  Who do you admire most in your life?
I admire my mom and dad.  They are the best parents a girl could have.  They worked hard their whole life to provide for my brother and I.  When I become a parent, I want to be like them.
9.  When your school days are over, where do you want to retire?
I would love to retire on an island somewhere or the beach! The beach is where my heart is meant to be. My husband and I spend every summer at the beach. If only I could live there EVERYDAY would be amazing.
10. When you have 30 minutes to yourself, what do you like to do?
RELAX. I never get 30 minutes to myself but if I did I would relax and take a nap.
11.  What is something that you treasure?
A note that my dad wrote me 8 years ago.  He wrote on a torn corner of an envelope "I Love You" and put it under my windshield wipers when I was 16 while I was at work.  I have kept that piece of paper in my dash board ever since then.  No matter what I drive it goes with me. :)

Here are the answers to the questions posted by the Teaching is a Gift:
1. List five adjectives that describe yourself.
organized, passionate, loving, quite, enthusiastic
2. What are you currently reading for enjoyment?
I am currently not reading anything because I don't have much spare time.  My enjoyment reading is mostly during the summer.
3. When did you decide to become a teacher, and why did you choose this field?
I decided I wanted to be a teacher when I was in third grade. It was the impact of my third grade teacher that helped me realize that I wanted to help others the way she had helped me. So, here I am.
4. What do you want to be doing in five years?
I would love to be starting a family by then.  I just got married to the love of my life this past June and we are enjoying married life.  In five years I would love to have started a family of our own and maybe start on my masters degree.
5. If you could have only one powered appliance at home/work what would it be?
microwave.
6. What is your favorite subject to teach? Why?
I love teaching reading and math.  Kindergarten students grow so much in those two subjects in a year.  It is amazing to see a child not know how to read and then become a successful reader by the end of the year.
7. What is your least favorite subject, and how do you overcome your indifference toward it to teach it well?
Social Studies would be my least favorite but I try to keep it exciting and fun.
8. What do you think is the funniest word in our vocabulary?
Spork: Who came up with at? Is it a fork or a spoon?
9. What is the greatest success you have had in teaching?
Getting through the first three years of my teaching career :) I will finally be graduating from the Beginning Teacher program this year :)
10. If someone wrote a book on your life what would you like the title to be?
The crazy life of a teacher.
11. What would your students say was the most important thing that they had learned after spending a year in your class?

how to be a leader at school,in the community, and at home. Leadership is a valuable characteristic in our classroom. We call upon our peers to lead, motivate, and challenge each other daily.

Here are the answers to the questions posted by the Mrs Poultney's Ponderings:

1. Do you have a pet?
Yes, I do have a pet.  I have one dog. His name is Jack.
2. What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
The scariest thing I have done would be snowboarding.  No one showed me how to snowboard.  They just put me at the top of the mountain and pushed me down.  I will say... I went face first into the snow. haha
3. What is your favorite item of clothing you can't live without? 
I would say socks.  My feet are always cold.
4. Do you play a sport?
In high school, I did track, cheerleading, and all-stars.
5. How many stamps in your passport?
I don't have a passport :(
6. Where is your dream destinations:
I would love to go to a tropical island somewhere and go to Italy.
7. Night owl or early bird?
Neither.  I hate getting up in the morning and I can barely keep my eyes open after 8pm
8. What is your favorite season?
Summer time is my favorite.  I love my time at the beach and pool.
9. If you could invite any three people for dinner who would they be?
My two uncles that died in the past two years. 
10. If you were a cartoon character who would you be?
I would be batman :)
11. Who was your favorite teacher when you were a student?
My favorite teacher would be my third grader teacher Mrs. Cox.  I learned so much from her.  She was the reason I wanted to become a teacher. She helped me realize that I wanted to help others the way she had helped me. 

Here are the answers to the questions posted by the The Kindergarten Teacher:

1. How long have you been teacher?

Three years

2. Which grades have you taught?

I have taught kindergarten all three years.

3. How do you learn new technology?

Our school has us go to staff developments on the new technology.

4. What technology do you use in your classroom?

smartboard, ipad, computers

5. What is your favorite book for December?

There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell

6. Did you make anything for your classroom this year?

I made those crate seats for my classroom and the seat covers.

7. How many kids are in your class?

19

8. What is your favorite TV Show?

"The Walking Dead" and "How I Met Your Mother"

9. How many blogs do you follow?

189

10. Are you on Pinterest?

Yes, I am on pinterest.  Here is my link: http://pinterest.com/mcskippe/

11. Who is the first person you call when you have a teaching question?

I would call my best friend Susan.  She works in the classroom next to mine.

Here are the answers to the questions posted by the More Than Math:

1. What is your favorite season? Why?

Summer is my favorite season. I love spending time at the beach and the pool.

2. Are you an only child?

No I am not. I have one brother.

3. How many years have you been teaching? What grades?

I have been teaching for three years.  I have been teaching kindergarten for all three.

4. What is your middle name? Is there any special meaning behind it?

My middle name is Candace but now that I am married it is my maiden name Skipper.

5. You have an hour to yourself, do you read or watch tv? Favorite book or tv show?

I usually am doing school work or chore around the house... 

6. What is your favorite vacation destination? Or do you rather a stay-cation?

I love the beach. I could be there all the time if I could.

7. Coke or Pepsi? Regular or Diet?

Pepsi, Regular

8. What is your favorite subject to teach?

 I love teaching reading and math.  Kindergarten students grow so much in those two subjects in a year.  It is amazing to see a child not know how to read and then become a successful reader by the end of the year.

9. If you had the chance to spend the day with one famous person (dead or alive) who would it be? Why?

Carrie Underwood.  She is my favorite singer. 

10. Home cooked meals or take-out during the work week?

home cooked meals. My husband always has supper cooked for me when I get home. 

11. Favorite teacher resource publisher?

Carson-Dellosa

Blogs I'm nominating:

1. Wild About School

2. Web Marino Teaching-Crafting

3. Sweeties In Second

4. Literacy Sundae

5. Teaching Maths With Meaning

6. Mr. Giso's Room To Read

7. Bayside Teacher 

8. Being Inspired 

9. Educators Life

10. Miss Martins Classroom

11. Drowning in Paper Clips

Here are my 11 question to the blogs I nominated:

1. What lesson are you the most proud of?

2. What grade do you teach? 

3. How long have you been teaching?

4. What is your greatest accomplishment?

5. Who do you look up to the most?

6. What is your favorite holiday? why?

7. What is the funniest thing you have heard a student say?

8. If you wrote a book what would it be about?

9. What are your hobbies?

10. What do you do when your not at school?

11. What does your classroom look like?

Don’t forget to leave me a link to your blog when you’ve answered!  I can’t wait to read more about you and I hope you enjoyed learning a little something about me.