Winner winner!

We have a winner! 

#63 Anash! Thank you for following! 

I will be sending you your new TPT game Match Up Mittens A Rhyming Game by e-mail now and sending you your new Kindle cover and gift card in the mail on Tuesday! Congrats!!!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:63Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Show Us Your Teacher Area {CFC Project Week 4}

Tonight I'm going to show you some before and after pictures of my teacher and desk area. I need some immediate attention in this area because it was cramping my style. Now I'm really happy with the results and I hope you like the change too. My room mom and other volunteers even noticed and complimented me on how much more organized I have been since the new year. (Yes, they actually thought I was super organized before but I'll let them believe that and not let them in on my dirty little secret.) 

Show us photos of your "teacher area."

• Write about what you like about it. Previously not much hence the NEED to change it up! Now I really like everything about it except for that it covers a little bit of a bulletin board. I would love to get rid of the desk but I have to keep it. 
• How you would like to change it? I really wanted to make a little more room for myself, organize it, and create a clean top desk.
• What changes did you make to it as part of the Clutter-Free PROJECT Challenge. I moved my desk around so it is against the wall which opens up the room and gives me more space. I re-oragnized all my files, emptied my drawers of junk in my desk. Beside my desk I organized my cubbies. I also threw away a plastic storage container that was kinda broken and taking up space and condensed my literacy games. I made use of my Monday-Friday paper holders. 
• What tips can you share to help others have a clear work-surface? I am going to clean off my desk at the end of each day. So if papers and extra junk do pile up I'll take the time to put them in their proper place. I think a little cleaning each afternoon will go a long way. I also will try to immediately put each paper in its proper location once it is copied or not being used. (M-F bins, file, trash) 

Before Pictures: 

Not so great because I didn't like this space so I took them from far away... But you'll notice that the area is a little crowded. I kept stuff under my desk (gag!), behind my desk is not clean and cramped, and the top is messy. I also didn't even bother to hang my diploma. This picture was taken at the beginning of the year so M-F paper bins and cubbies weren't messy yet but they weren't visible so they ended up getting cluttered. Also notice the storage bin they are on. The second picture also shows you just how small of a space it was before. Also notice that my word work cart is to the right of my desk behind my rocking chair. 

Okay so now onto the new and improved teacher area:

As you can see I flipped the desk and pushed it against the wall. It now covers a little bit of the bulletin board but it's okay. I moved my M-F bins to the top of my cubbies so I would have to see them and therefore they would have to be oragnized. So far this has kept up! I still have one of my plastic storage bins that is now clean and my printer sits on top. This is much better than having my printer underneath my desk or on top of my desk. The word work cart is turned around as well and the area has plenty of space now. 

As you can hopefully see from this picture my desk top and cubbies are now clean. My M-F bins are organized! I hung up my diploma and other items that make me smile through my day. I have just a pencil sharpener, tape, stapler, sticky notes, calendar, and computer on my desk top now. This is a big improvement from piles of papers and notebooks on top. I wish I had better pictures :( I was going to take some today but my camera died. This is also very sad because my kids also made cute penguins. 

Anyways I hope you have enjoyed seeing the change that has made my life easier and less stressful. Link up because I want to see your changes too! 

Okay now I'm off for a sushi date to stop thinking about kids and school!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

1. I'm LOVING that I got off work earlier today! I heart early release days on the last Wednesday of each month!

2. I'm really loving that I'm almost all the way done planning and making centers for February! Can you believe February is next week? January flew by!

3. I'm loving that I got asked to go to professional development training in the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts/Reading! My principal and reading coach picked two people  (one for math and one for reading) from K-2 to become experts on the Common Core and then teach our grade level about the standards. I'm very excited for this opportunity and think it will help solidify my spot at my current school for another year!

4. Trying really hard to love going to the gym and an abs class tonight that will most likely kick my booty!

5. I am loving that my students are now finally back into the routine of school!

6. Lastly I know everyone is LOVING that we are mid-way through the week!

Happy Teaching!

100 Days of Cool {From my Pinterest Board to you!}

I'm bringing you the best of the best resources to have a fabulous 100th day! I know some of you have already had your 100th day but I don't have mine until the beginning of February so I'm started to plan now! If you click on each picture it will take you to the link where I found it. Hope you have a wonderful 100th day!

The books I read for math on the 100th day. 

This has also always been a favorite book to read before the 100th day.

The First Grade Parade

Set out this 100 day chart to add to all day long. Have your kids write 100 words they learned how to spell the first 100 days of school and then write 100 things they learned around the 100. Keep adding to the chart all day long and see how much you've learned together! 

Denna Jump's 100th Day

Us at 100

This is such a cute craftivity to do with your students. Have them make themselves at 100 years old and then have them write about what it would be like to be 100 years old.

Mrs. Lee's Kindergarten

Count to 10's using ice cream cones! 

Creative Teaching

Cute writing prompt that goes with making a 100th day kid!

Classroom Freebies

Get your 100th day freebies here! There are many wonderful ideas! 

The Teacher Wife

Adorable 100th day hats! You know you're going to make them so why not make them extra fun!

Wouldn't this be the best way to walk into school?! Make your students feel like a rockstar of the 100th day! 

HAPPY 100TH DAY!

300 + Followers Giveaway!

I'm finally getting around to doing my 300 followers giveaway! This is mostly likely because I'm trying to put of the inevitable report card comments I have to write today. (Insert large sigh) So naturally because these report card comments need to be written today I am blogging, printing, and laminating. Anyone else do this?

Right back to what you really want to know! Since I now have 300+ followers I will be giving away 3 items to 1 lucky winner! Thank you all for being followers!

First item: Kindle cover

A apple green Kindle cover! So this kindle cover has a funny story behind it. My mom and boyfriend both got me Kindle covers for my birthday. I couldn't decided which color I like more because pink and green are my favorite colors. I had returned everything I got pretty much from my boyfriend for my birthday (it didn't fit or I already had one) so I decided to keep the pink cover he got me.  I decided on the pink but never returned the green out of laziness. Time goes by and my mom mentions that she would like to have the green case when she comes for Christmas since she doesn't have one for her Kindle. I of course said yes but could not find the thing anywhere! I have a super clean house and could not find it. I came to the conclusion that I had given it away at some point. So a few days before Christmas I'm ordering a apple green Kindle cover with my prime account. It comes in while my parents are at my house and my boyfriends picks it up saying "how many green Kindle covers do you need?!" well then I had to tell everyone the story but my mom still got it as part of her gift for Christmas. Then as we are cleaning the house after Christmas taking down decorations and everything I find the other green Kindle case I had actually not given away. (HUGE sigh!) I thought what am I supposed to do with this now?
This is where you lovely followers come in. I decided to give it as part of my giveaway! I know many of you are avid readers and use Kindles. If you don't gift it to someone who does use a Kindle or just hold on to it forever like I did.

2nd item: $10 gift card to Target

3rd item: One of my products from TPT you can pick which one you want! 

There are 5 chances to win:

(1 entry) for following my blog

(1 entry) for following my TPT

(1 entry) for telling me the product you would choose on my TPT

(2 entries) for blogging about this giveaway

You have until January 28th to enter! 

Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor! 

The Cleaning Purge {Week 3 Challenge}

Yesterday I had a teacher workday and I purged. Yes, I did it! I got rid of so much stuff! I threw it away without a second thought and moved onto my organizing. It took all day but it was so worth it. I confess I didn't stick to my rule about taking it step by step. I did it all in one day but I did take certain sections of my room step by step.

PROMPT:

• How much were you able to escort out the door this week?Tell us about what you purged and how you felt doing so. I was able to get rid of so much stuff I didn't use anymore from my cabinets, desk, and entire room. Paper copies I don't need, things that were broken that I was hanging on to, old stuff that I just don't use and is out dated now. I felt great doing it like I was just in a cleaning frenzy to get organized. I felt super productive and I really like the outcome. 

So now the results:

*Warning this is a lot of pictures because I'm really happy with the end result.*

Super clean desk drawers no more mess where I can't find anything!

Okay so to some people this may not seem like improvement but I did throw stuff away I didn't need or didn't have to keep anymore. I have to keep all the books in here (this is like my storage closet) but it is easier because this cabinet is behind my guided reading table. So starting at the top I have craft supplies and a parachute. Moving down I have word work games I don't use all year, phonics books, extra school supplies, and my reward box. Then I have my leveled readers and balls/chalk for recess. Then I have professional books and my students Houghton Mifflin books. 

This is a huge change! I turned my desk around after I cleaned it out. It now faces the bullitin board which I don't love because it takes away from it but I like how it opens up space. I got rid of a plastic storage thing that was falling apart and kept the other one that wasn't and organized literacy games by month in the drawers. Then I put my printer on top of it. I used to have my M-F bins on top but realized they became a catch all because I didn't have to look at it. So I moved the M-F bins to above the cubbies, clean them out, and organized them for next week! I also clean out the cubbies that I use so I can actually find things! This area makes me happy now! :) 

Up close! 

I cleaned up my listening area. I took down the sign and put in on the table to then hang up these hooks that were so cute but serving no purpose before. Now they are going to keep the headphones from getting tangled and getting mixed up with the computer headphones. They look the same so I have actually had students sit down at the computer and put on the listening station headphones and vice-versa it causes for confusion which is now eliminated! I also placed all the books/CDs/tapes  in one storage bin and then my teaching CDs/tapes to the side in a basket. Before they were kinda mixed up and didn't have much organization now they are organized! 

My work word folders are now clean and only hold this weeks word work! Previously they were a little messy and would get older word work placed in the top folders so I didn't have to put it away. I like how it looks when it is neat and clean so I will have to put all games away on Friday when my students are done with them.

I'm loving how my math centers are organized now! Previously they were out of order, messy, and too full. Well I purged math supplies, materials, cards, and games that I was not using anymore and now I have room! I organized them by month now which works out so much better than by topic. I can reach in and grab that month's games and get ready to teach and play with my students. I also organized my flashcards that were all out of order and placed them on top for easy access. I changed the location of this as well to free up space in another area. 

This is my writing station that I moved earlier in the year and previously in front of it was my class jobs. Well that didn't really make much sense to me to have class jobs in front of the writing table so I changed it to our word wall! This will be useful for my kids during writing and is in the front of the classroom now so it will be easy for the kids to use at any time. I can also refer to it more when teaching since it is in the front of the room too. Please excuse our recycling since we have gotten back to school our recycling team (4th/5th graders) haven't come around to get it. 

Now for a full tour around the room! If your still with me you are awesome! 

Class jobs were moved to this bulletin board, math games are in the nook, guided reading table and materials behind. I clean out all of those cabinets above and below the sink but didn't want to bore you too much with pictures of tissue paper, art supply, construction paper, cleaning supplies and the such. 

The front of the room now. 

Desk area, cubbies, whole group space hence the rocking chair and easel. I wish I was better at taking pictures...this doesn't really do it justice. 

Listening area cleaned up and looking good. 

Back of my room. Mostly my library and cabinet that holds teachers editions and more books. Not a great quality picture but the iPhone does what it can. My man has the professional camera and always take the nice photos. I kinda wish now that I had taken a picture of all the crap I actually threw away and of the two extremely full overflowing garbage cans. But this is what you get! 

Well I hoped you've enjoyed my improvements I've made on my classroom! I can't wait to see all of your classrooms. Thank you for all the sweet comments and support. 

At last

Blogging at last....

I've been on a little blogging hiatus because I've been super incredible busy. Let's start with Wednesday. I love to post on Wednesday's because I usually get home a little earlier. Wednesday is a short day where the kids get out an hour early and we have professional development, meetings, or just play catch up. Well we happened to have a boring Marzano (do you know him? he is on my hit list if I had a hit list)  faculty meeting that was made better by PTA having lots of wonderful soups to warm us up with! (They shower us with so many wonderful things it just astonishes me  every time!) After the meeting I went to my room at 3:30 and then didn't leave until 6:00! I know that is pretty crazy but I had to do sub plans, make sure my room was ready, and the million other little things that take up a teachers time. 

Look what my little ones did on Wednesday: 

They LOVE LOVE LOVED making these contraction kids and seeing them posted in the classroom keeps contractions on their mind. They were referring to those kids all day long! :) 

Rewind to Thursday again...I had a sub in my class because I went to a district reading coach meeting which is mostly just professional development and discussion about reading in the county. I was very lucky to go my reading coach suggested I attend one with her since I eventually would love to be a reading coach. Unfortunately my reading coach could not make it cause her little one had to have surgery so I was solo. At first I was a little nervous...I had to act like a reading coach. I pulled it off though! Everyone was super friendly and it was a wonderful day of professional development. I just tell you each session I went to because I'll be blogging about each topic soon. I went to Connecting Reading and Writing (specifically with the Houghton Mifflin series), Common Core State Standards, RTI (Response to Intervention), and Academic Vocabulary with Mary Ellen Vogt. It was crazy to have Mary Ellen Vogt as a presenter because I used to quote her in my graduate school papers and here I was sitting in her presentation! It was such a great experience to go to this meeting. I love good professional development! (Oh and hour lunch breaks at Panera.)

Friday...oh wait it is still Friday! Today was a long day! I had a teacher workday at school which is actually perfect for everything I needed to get done! I have never had to actually work a teacher workday but our principal made us work today unless we had comp time. I got so much organizing, rearranging, and cleaning done today. I'm so glad I went in and didn't use any comp time. My class looks amazing now and is so organized and clean I can't wait to show you! * This would be way too much for this one post and will be it's own post for the Clutter-Free Classroom Project.* 

I also got around to grading my students math mid-terms (everything we have learn in math so far) and I was so happy! 14 students got an S (satisfactory 80-100) and 4 students got an W (working on it) 79-65. I now know who I need to spend some more time with in math and what skills they still haven't mastered. Then I decided to get started on the dreaded report cards and finished entering in all the grades but I haven't started on comments yet. I'll wait until Sunday for comments.

 I also found out today that my kids were wonderful with the sub yesterday according to her note. Then underneath she said *Jeff* (alias-I will never use my kids real names) had to go to see our AP (assistant principal). So I marched up to the AP's office fully expecting he did something ridiculous in class to get sent there. Well he did just not in my class. Jeff ride the bus and on Wednesday afternoon he took scissors home in his backpack and then cut his BFF's hair and his hair. *Angel* was pretty upset that her hair got cut by Jeff while she turned her back to him on the bus. Her mother was even more upset about the hair incident and called our principal. So she had to call them down to the office where Jeff gave a full and truthful account of what happened. He then got suspended from the bus for 3 days. This was not his first offense on the bus. According to AP the hair cut he gave himself and Angel is very noticeable. I was just so shocked that Jeff would do this! Scissors on a bus...cutting hair... someone could have gotten seriously hurt. Needless to say Jeff is in big trouble at home. Just thought this story was a little out of the ordinary and a little funny (since no one got hurt). I can't wait to see these two waltz into class together on Monday.

Happy Weekend! I'll be posting clean classroom pictures soon! 

MLK Day

Monday...Oh no wait it's Tuesday! I kept thinking it was Monday morning until I looked at my calendar and saw we had library today. Here are some cute things we did today:

MLK anchor chart: 

We did this together as a class after reading Martin's Big Words. My students thoughts just melted my heart! They are so sweet! They just could not believe that segregation would every happen. They interrupted me during the Rosa Park part of the story and said "Wait that's not fair who cares if that man wanted to sit there she was first!" I had to re- explained that she was black and the man was white. The students still thought it was unfair, which it totally is. I also told them that if Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. didn't change the way things were they would only be 6 of my students in my class. My kids were shocked. They couldn't believe it! I had many kids from Hispanic background says hey I have lighter skin why wouldn't I be and I had to explain that because they are from a different heritage they would not be going to school either. They would have to go to a different school with only kids from that background. I love my students innocence and they asked some very deep questions. The one that stick out the most was "Dr. King was a peacemaker and nice to everyone but was he still nice to the people that arrested him and bombed his house?" I told my students yes because that is what he stood for peace and love. My students said he was the nicest man they have ever heard of. Aww first graders! 

Moving on we studying contractions today and I made this anchor chart with my students. Tomorrow we are going to make contraction kids like Babbling Abbey. I'm so excited for this activity and have been waiting for this short week to come around so we had the time to do this! (We only have 3 days with the students this week. Friday is a teacher work-day for report cards.) 

Anyways I hope you had a great day back and are enjoying teaching about Dr. Martin Luther King! 

A Day in My Shoes

Katie over at Adventure of a 6th Grade Teacher is hosting her first ever linky party "A Day in My Shoes." 

So now a day in my shoes....

6:00- Wake up to my iPhone alarm and turn off immediately. Snuggle with my man for 1-2 minutes tops and then I get up and start my day!

6:02-6:10- Same routine every morning. Get dressed which is easy because I lay my clothes out the night before. Brush my hair and put some make-up on. 

6:10-6:20 Eat breakfast and browse on my computer.

6:20-6:30- Brush my teeth, pack a lunch, and make sure I have everything I need for the day!

6:30-7:00 My drive to school. I listen to crappy radio stations because my car doesn't have a CD player. Yes, my car is really that old. 

7:05-8:25 First thing I do is check my mailbox and put my lunch in the fridge.I get ready for my day in my room. I turn on all computers, check e-mail, unstack chairs, cut out materials, think of new projects, try to organize my copies, write the morning message, run errands around school, and make sure everything is ready before those smiling faces appear in the doorway.

8:25-8:45 I open my door to let my students in early so they can be organized and ready for the day. I don't like scrambling to get ready and neither do they so if they are in the hallway I'm letting them in. They put their backpack away, get their binders out, write down their homework, and have me check their homework. As soon as they are done they can get new books for their book boxes. 

8:45-8:50 Morning announcements come on and they tell us what is for lunch and the happenings around school. During this time I take attendance on my computer and make sure the kids do their lunch count so I can send the e-mail to our cafeteria manager. Everything is electronic to try and save on paper and kids leaving the room for messages. 

8:50-9:00 Most of my kids are reading and my late stragglers are coming in to get themselves ready for the day. 

9:00-9:30 This is our enrichment time. Now usually the kids switch classes and I'll get all the kids on grade level in my class. Since we have been back at school though we have not switched because of assessments. This is totally fine with me...I don't like enrichment. Yes I think students should get materials on their level and should be enriched if they are above grade level and should have interventions if they are below grade level but that is what I'm already doing in the class with my students and I don't think it helps to switch. The students in my opinion are not benefiting because the teacher in the class can't work in small groups with that many students and she doesn't know them as well as I do. Ooops sorry for that rant. So anyways we have been assessing and the other students independently read. I think this has worked beautifully because when I get done assessing I can focus in on my struggling readers and give them interventions they need. 

9:30-10:00 This is our whole group reading time. We gather on the carpet for morning message which tells us all about our day and what will be learning. It usually has mistakes in the message on the phonics or writing skills we are working on. After morning message I teach a comprehension strategy (or review it is Tuesday-Friday) and I model how to use it. This sometimes requires a read aloud but other times just part of a read aloud. Then my students go back to their desk and we practice the comprehension strategy together in our story of the week in their book. Once we are done reading if we have time I my students do workbook pages in their Houghton Mifflin books. I don't really like workbook pages but they are focused on our phonics skills and reading throughout the week so 1-3 pages can't really hurt. 

10:00-11:00 Literacy center time! Our favorite part of the day for sure! We do a modified Daily 5 for our literacy centers. Meaning I let them pick each rotation but I don't teach in between each time. For each round (we do 4 rounds each last 15 minutes) my students can pick: Writing, Read to Self, Buddy Reading, Listening (book on CD or computers), and Word Work. I pick students who I want to see for guided reading during this time. I have my students grouped in two ways. One way is through what strategy they are working on fluency, accuracy, comprehension, expanding vocabulary. I actually have two groups for comprehension one working on explicit questions and one working on implicit questions. The other way I group is by their reading level. So I'll have everyone reading on a EFG level, HI, and so on come to me during that time. I try to switch up every day so Monday-reading level group, Tuesday-strategy group, Wednesday-reading level, Thursday-strategy group ,Friday ready level group with a focus on fluency. At this time my volunteers also come in to help out and usually work my students in word work or writing. 

11:00-11:25 LUNCH TIME! Yeah this is my bathroom break time and catch up with my fellow 1st and 2nd grade teachers.

11:25-12:00 Writing- My students come in from lunch and know to get our their Authors at Work notebooks right away. My first table that can do this quietly gets to have our class pet Pete the Parrot sit at their table for writing. It's a big treat by the way Pete is a beanie baby. I teach a writing skill, give them topic, help them organize their writing, and then they independently write while I float around the room helping students out. 

12:00-12:15 Recess! We go out to the playground with 2 or 3 other classes and my kids get to let loose and be crazy. I get to watch them and sit on nice benches with other 1st grade teachers. If it isn't stinking hot it is actually really nice to be out there. Confession-if it is nice weather we stay out for 20 minutes. They are 6 and 7 year olds that work their little booties off all day I think they deserve some time to play.

12:15-12:30 Whole group math time! My students run calendar while I get technology ready for math. I teach the lesson, we watch a short video about what I've just taught, and we do some hands on work together to solve a few problems together.

12:30-1:25 Math Workshop- My students have 4 stations they go to in math workshop and they rotate every 12 minutes. They do math workshop with the people at their table. The groups are as follows: Math facts: students work on their math facts on the computer, At your seat: works on the math worksheet at their table, Teachers Choice: students come to my table to work with my and take a mini quiz (4 problems) to see what they have learned and what they need help on, and Hands On: students get to play all the wonderful math games I've created and found on blogs!

1:25-1:45 Science or Social Studies-Science is Monday, Tuesday, and Social Studies is Thursday, Friday. On Wednesday the students leave an hour early so we don't have time for Science or Social Studies, or math workshop. For Science and Social Studies we watch Brain Pop Jr. videos (we love Moby), write in journals, create projects, and at the end of a unit watch Magic School Bus. (this is a huge treat!) 

1:45-2:25 Specials- Our schedule is never the same we go on a 9 day rotation chart but they get P.E., Art, Music, and Computer Lab. Most of the time they are going to P.E. and sometimes certain P.E. days get turned into Health. This is my planning time during this time I get check my e-mail, mailbox, and do anything I need get done for the week. You know there is always a page long list of things to do. On Tuesday we always have a team meeting and sometimes on other days we have meetings with our principal, reading coach, and have short professional development.

2:25-3:00 Snack/Pack Up/VIP/Read Aloud-My students come back in the class and pack their bags up and eat their snack. During this time I either do a read aloud or have them read independently it just depends on how long it takes them to pack up. Also during this time my VIP (Very Important Pirate) gets to share pictures and something special on Monday, Tuesday gets their favorite book read aloud, Wednesday gets their family letter read aloud, Thursday gets presented an award from the class, and Friday(the parent eats lunch with the student on this day) we pick a new VIP. 

3:00-3:30 Dismissal- I dismiss my walkers, YMCA, and bus riders to other teachers that are on duty. I take all first grade car riders (with two other teachers) out to the front of the building for dismissal. I am on duty until 3:15 most days but usually twice a week I have to stay out until 3:30. We have to make sure the students are listening for their name and color posts they are to go to wait for their car. We bribe our students to listen by have our students who are sitting criss-cross quietly sit on the bench which is a big deal because they are only 10 spots on the bench and there are around 50 first graders. 

3:30-3:45/4:00 I am finally alone and get a moment to breath without being Ms. Teacher whoa insert big sigh of relief...I made it through another day. I reflect on my at my desk, clean up anything my students may have missed or is my own mess, check e-mail and actually respond back, and get things ready for the next day.

3:45/4:00 Drive home which is such a blah time of the day because they is usually either a. state patrols waiting for major traffic that want to pull you over or b. major traffic. Option a. is a lot better than b. which is why I don't usually stay at work after 4. I much prefer getting to school early when I have energy. I get very tired in the afternoon around 4. 

4:30- 5:00 Arrive home pretty exhausted from the day and shed my work clothes for gym clothes. I usually will have a small snack and go straight to my computer to see what I may have missed throughout the day from blogs and other fun websites. My man usually arrives home sometime during this where I happily greet him with a hug and a kiss.

5:00-6:00 Gym time! My man and I motivate each other to go to the gym and workout. I grumpily go but once I'm there I'm in the zone and feel so much better after!

6:00-7:30 Dinner- This seems like a long time but my man is the chef and as he says fresh healthy food that taste good sometimes takes awhile. During this time I take a shower, dress in my PJs, check up on blogs, write on my blog, watch TV, cut out lamination, eagerly ask when dinner is going to be ready. We the sit down and eat together and talk about our day.

7:30-8:00 Clean up-I clean up dinner and the entire kitchen top to bottom. I do not like messes and want everything to be super clean.

8:00-9:30 Relaxing together time- We will play on our computers/iPad or play cards, watch TV we've been into Breaking Bad lately which is a long show, and cuddle on the couch. 

9:30-10:00 Unwind- I usually get my clothes ready for the next day, brush my teeth, and read in bed. 

10:00-10:30 Lights out! I'm so sleepy by this time but even if I'm not I'll turn off the lights and try to go to the sleep because I've got a big day ahead of me again tomorrow. My man and I always cuddle and talk about good parts of our day right before we go to sleep. 

Then it seems two seconds later the alarm goes off and it's another day in my shoes!