Truth Revealed! Five For Friday

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for another Five for Friday. A chance to blog about five random things from my week. Thanks for hosting, Doodle Bugs. I'm sorry you couldn't make it to the party this week. Enjoy some much deserved time off!


I had so much fun linking up late to try and stump you all with my two truths ans a lie. I have to say that I kind of sorta did two lies!! I didn't intend to, but it happened. If you haven't had a chance to guess you can go back and take a guess HERE!
So the lie(s)...I haven't blogged much lately because I've lacked motivation! It just seemed kind of nice to blame  it on my daughter. My daughter and now son in law planned and executed every detail of their wedding. I just showed up and smiled a LOT. The whole day was unbelievable. All of my sisters and my brother were able to come and so many friends too. The wedding was in my former stomping grounds...St. Louis home of the Cardinals. It is pretty cool that my daughter born and raised in Michigan ended up at WashU where her grandmother, for whom she was named, attended nursing school. My mom would have loved every minute of the celebrating right down to the bagpipe playing the processional and recessional in the church. Here is one more picture for you...Okay you twisted my arm hard enough here are two!! (See randomness number 3 for the real lie!!)

Cutting the first piece of this awesome cake with Bilbo's sword. Yes. They are Lord of the Ring fans!

So the whole thing about the Bocce Ball team...Never happened. I like playing Bocce, but I don't even know if there are teams. I went to Germany two summers ago, but didn't ever play a game of Bocce there. I hope my IG friends saw my post about my Bocce Ball tournament being cancelled today. I was just trying to throw you off!

It is time for a true confession. Sometimes I read books to my class for the sheer joy of reading. I don't think aloud and I don't make them respond in a writing assignment or project. We just pick up a book and read it. We laugh and sometimes, if they ask, I read it again. Sometimes on Friday afternoons I let them play too. I don't have any hidden agendas in their freetime. They get to play with anything they want.They make zoos out of cardboard, They set up the train set to go all the way around the zoo. They plan, execute and work in collaboration with each other. They play school on the chalkboard. They set up a bakery with playdough. They are allowed to be kids having fun with each other!

Do you know Arnie the Doughnut? I love that guy! For National Doughnut Day we celebrated the only way I know how. We ate doughnuts. We gave our doughnuts, hands and feet so they could escape if they didn't want to be eaten. We gave him/her eyes and then asked them, "Do you want to be eaten?" If they don't answer it is safe to eat them. So far, I've never had a doughnut tell me he didn't want to be eaten! Laurie Keller herself taught my children and I the proper way to eat doughnuts years ago at a library event she spoke at! All of her books are delightful, but Arnie is my favorite! 

Take Time to Play!

After voicing my feelings about play, you'll find some ways to have fun and learn with a Halloween theme! I'm linking up with Brian at Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings to find more great ideas for fall! Thanks for hosting such a great party, Brian!

I remember when I first started teaching...Yes, I can remember that far back! Kindergarten was mostly play, half day and a nap was thrown in there, too! I'm not sure kids are better off today! All day kindergarten is now the norm and naps or even rest time is gone. Two out of three of my own children attended kindergarten for half the day and didn't ever have a pre-school class. They did have a play group that was quite structured by some amazing moms! My youngest did attend pre-school and all day kindergarten because I went back to work.

I wish I had had the time with my youngest that I had with my first two. I can't say I wish any of my children had more schooling. I can't say that more schooling would have made my first child more successful! She will be graduating this year from college with a double major in biology and chemistry. She has gotten all As and loves learning. I am proud of her accomplishments.

Future architects!

All of my children learned a lot through play. If there is one thing I wish I could give my students more of, it would be play. Play is highly underrated! Children learn so much when they play together or even alone. When I watch my students play this year  I see future architects, engineers and writers. Last year I had a class full of teachers! We don't  have to fill every moment with Common Core! We can let children bloom and unfold in ways that aren't in a teachers manual. Let them eat cake play!

Future engineers!

Here is a little goody for you for taking the time to read my rant! This packet includes three games and a book! Enjoy playing with your students!

Have you entered?