Bright Ideas #7: Mini-Game: Keep. Trade. Auction

He shared with me the power-ups he uses with his classroom. Power-ups that were not tangible items or special activities.

“Gosh” I thought, “I just don’t think that would work for my students. For my students, their needs and my goals for our gamification system earning tangible items and special activities was what they needed to motivate and encourage them to take big risks and Continue reading “Bright Ideas #7: Mini-Game: Keep. Trade. Auction”

Join Us For Kids Summer Slam

Earlier this week I shared with you about the Teacher Talk Live session I was part of about preventing the Summer Slide.  An idea that came out of this wonderful time was my daughters and I hosting a Kids Summer Slam a time this summer when kids could come together and share all the super great things they have done and/or learned this summer. After this ah ha moment during the  session I ran the idea past my daughters (probably should have asked them first if they were in), but when I did ask them they yelled, “Do what mommy? With kids? From anywhere? YES! Mommy!  We want to!.”  Once I knew they were in we sat down, picked a date and time and I started to bring it all together.  With final approval and total excitement from my 8 and 9 year old girls we decided Friday August 7th at 2pm CST we would be when we would be hosting a Kids Summer Slam.

Be Part of the Kids Summer Slam

If your child(ren) (and you) are interested in being part of this Summer awesomeness share out or even if you are just interested in getting more information on the Kids Summer Slam click here and fill out this super short form. After you complete the form and we get closer to the date, my daughters and I will be sending you more information about the event.

Don’t miss this super fun chance for your kid(s)  to connect and share their awesome with other kids! We hope we will see you there…and HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!!!!

Philipa: Seeing Shapes In The Clouds

Driving to one of our Spring Break activities my girls sat in the back seat reading their books.  My youngest closed her books and from the rear view mirror I see her start to gaze out the window.

“Hey Tricia do you want to see the shapes in the clouds?” she says looking over to her big sister.

“Naahhhh.  I don’t want to play that,” her big sister answers.

“Awwwwww,” she says disappointed.

“I’ll listen,” I say from the front seat, “Tell me what you see!”

“I see a dragon, with butterfly wings!” Annabeth sings, “Ohhhhh and there your horse (imaginary) Checkers, Tricia!”

Not one to miss out on the imaginary fun…I hear Tricia say, “I see a dog!  OOOOO I see a pancake!”

20 minutes later and too many “seen” cloud formations to name later we arrived at our destination and I was inspired.

I knew Philipa had to do some cloud watching of her own because there is just nothing like that memory of laying in the grass on a warm Summer’s day, (yeah I know its freezing out but the hope of warm weather is what keeps me going) staring up in the sky and letting your imagination take over!

Philipa And The Shapes In The Clouds (gif)

Philipa And Cloud Shapes By Carrie Baughcum

What shapes do you see?

 

 

Crazy Holiday Fun

Well that was fun!! I don’t know about you but I have a serious love hate relationship with Christmas. This year my procrastinating tendencies caught up with me and honestly I didn’t handle it oh so well. There may have been some anxiety and stress. In the end, as always we I got through it and I was able to look back at it all, laugh, smile and see all the fun we had!!

This is just a glimpse at some of the crazy fun I had!!
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Motherhood…Living on The Edge

Last week was one full of  those on the edge moments!  You know those moments you want to run out of your house screaming someone save me from this insanity.  Those moments you count down the time until your husband will be home from work so you can tag him…”you’re it”!  Those moments you filter so much, your families mouths would drop if they knew the things you really wanted to say.  Well…wrapped up in all that insanity there is awesomeness.  The you wouldn’t have it any other way moments of motherhood.

Last week was a smidge more on the am I going to survive side…
Motherhood...The Edge of Awesomeness and Insanity By Carrie Baughcum
 

Giggles, Fun and Christmas Lights

Early this week I shared my new found love for what I have now learned is called #sketchnoting (I personally think it is so much more then a boring name like that.  Don’t worry, I’m working on a new name, prettier and way more creative name for it).  Even with a boring name my love for what I like to think of as writing with intertwined words and drawings continues….

Last weekend my 9 year old asked if we could decorate the outside of the house on Saturday. How could I possibly say no.  So we brought the lights up from the basement and got to work.  It was so much more then I could have expected.
Giggles, Fun and Christmas Lights

WTHHLB (Where The Heck Has Laverne Been) #2

Creativity has been oooozing for me and so have my opportunities for design. This time I got to work with teacher and it has been (has been because I am not quite done with one, but I’ll let you have a peek). Anytime I get a cance to work with woman and help them set up and create their spaces it is moving. Blogging and finding my voice has been life changing for me. So have the friend I have made. Each time I help another design their space I warmly smile because I know the same possibilities await them on their adventure.

This first blog I designed for a friend and fellow teacher who is a … Of all the designs I have created this one came the fastest to me. Channeling my inner Jen I was easily able to create a space that fit her personality,who she is as an educator and what she wants her blog to stand for. And to top it all off her tag line (I’m a tag line creating freak. Get out the thesaurus and weave words together in creative and fun ways! My kind on fun)… We hit it out of the ball park!!!

EDimageThe second design I worked on…errr…am working on…errr I finally finished!  It was also for another fellow educator.  This one has been a labor of love. Tweeks and updates and changes and more changes and thinking it worked and then realizing it wasn’t just right.  Unlike Jen’s, this design, has not come so simply (and after Jen’s I was kind of disappointed). Randee’s vision was very different then Jen’s.  She wanted to start a community for fellow teachers to share and talk. S he had a vision, but is also very ambitious about what she wants to offer fellow teachers. She is eager to inspire, connect and bring out the best in fellow teachers.  I wanted to create the perfect space for that.

EBimage

It has been a fantastic journey and wonderful chance to work and connect with teachers.

So while I may not be here…

I am always busy creating!!

6 Seconds of Fun

Friday night twitter introduced me to a whole new wonderful social media medium.

6 seconds of magically looping infinite addicting fun!

…and I am IN LOVE!!!

It is called Vine.

Vine is an iOS mobile service app that lets you create and share beautiful, short looping videos. It’s life in  6 seconds of looping motion.  To me it is a fun and whole new way to share life with video and I can not wait to see where it goes!  Here are a few of the ones I have made so far…

Saturday Night beverage

  Continue reading “6 Seconds of Fun”