Sunday Smorgasboard & Let's Get Acquainted Linky

I'm linking up with two great ladies today for their fabulous linkies.

First up is Latoya from Flying into First Grade's Lets Get Acquainted Linky. This week's topic is My Favorite Teacher.

Here's a recent picture of my favorite teacher. Sorry I couldn't find my 4th grade class picture, I actually just had it out & of course I can't find it now. 

My favorite teacher was Mrs. Giriffin, my 4th grade teacher and ironically I was upset when I found out over the summer, before 4th grade, that she was my teacher. Now you know the year before you always hear about the next grade level teacher's and you decide who hope you get the next year. Well I heard that Mrs. Griffin gave out "blue slips" if you didn't complete your homework, now I didn't know what that was, but it didn't sound good. However, I also wasn't the type of kid who didn't do their homework, so I don't know why I was so concerned about this. This ended up being a great year & she sealed the deal for me on wanting to become a teacher. Here are some of the reasons why:

• We always worked in cooperative groups, which we switched every month & once we got into our new groups we worked on coming up with a name for ourselves (she always had a theme, like fruit, baseball team, etc.) then we made a group shield/crest together. 
• Every person in the group had a job (recorder, timer, manager, materials, speaker) & we rotated these weekly.
• One time for a book review we had to create a t-shirt & I read "Island of the Blue Dolphins" then my dad I made a t-shirt with a beautiful island and dolphin on it. That was my favorite book review project that we did all year. We did a different review every month.
• I was raised by a single dad & sometimes he forgot to sign my homework book or another paper that I had to return, but she was understanding & I never got a blue slip, for not turning it in on time. :) 
• We did a baseball skit about Paul Revere, so much fun & the other grades & parents came out to watch us.
• At Christmas we made a tissue paper wreath, well the whole grade level did, but I remember ours being the best because every time we would tell her we were done she would push the tissue paper farther up the hanger, so by the time we were really done, our wreaths were really full & beautiful.

It looked like this but we used green tissue paper.

• She had this calming way about her. You never felt stupid if you didn't know an answer, there was no yelling, it was such a peaceful class to be in.

And the best part...I work in the district that I attended as a kid, teaching basic skills part-time and she too is now a basic skills teacher in the same school, so we are colleagues, which is AWESOME!!!! To see her in action, now that I'm an adult is so amazing, because as a fellow teacher I can appreciate her & her style/approach so much more. I hope I get to stay in the district, so when she retires, I can recognize her for this at the retirement dinner.

Ok now on to Michelle from Fabulous in First Sunday Smorgasbord linky. 

Ok here are some of my randoms.

I picked up my bridesmaid's dress for my cousins wedding in October. I love the color & the dress. It reminds me of the dresses that my girls wore in my wedding & I feel so comfortable in it, unlike the dress I had to wear in my other cousins wedding last summer, I felt like a stuffed sausage. Word of advice, don't go with David's Bridal's build your own dress...not flattering (see below).

My dress for my cousins wedding.

Me & my sister @ my wedding, 3 years ago

My sister & I at my cousins wedding last summer.
She was the only one who looked good in this style dress.

Before going to get my bridesmaids dress on Saturday, my cousin (the bride) had a bridesmaid brunch, to thank us & gave us some awesome gifts.

Me all dressed before the brunch,
it was at a local country club, so a cute dress was necessary.

And here's the gifts she gave us.

An embroidered robe for while we're getting our hair done in the hotel suite,
initialed hanger for our dresses, & embroidered totes for all of the stuff.

And these are not the only gifts she's giving us. She's getting us our jewelry, which we'll get at the rehearsal dinner, when the guys get their gifts. I told her this was all unnecessary, especially since she has 10 bridesmaids & a flower girl.

And this is the last random I'll leave you with. My hubby & I are taking our little guy to the drive-in tonight, we figure at 2 this is a good alternative to the theater, because he'll be in our own car & when he gets tired he can lay down on the back seat & go to sleep. This is what we're going to see...

For $9 a person & kids under 3 are free, you get to see 2 current movies!!! AMAZING!!! I've actually never been & I'm so excited! 

I hope you will link up with these 2 great ladies &  their linky's.