Fitness Monday

So it seems like my Monday posts are about fitness.  Here is an update on what I have been doing lately.  In addition to my afternoon workout (the Jillian Michaels 90 day Body Revolution system, which I'm doing about 3 days a week - instead of 6 so I might finish in 2012, LOL!).
My morning workouts are more official, more intense.  I wake up at 4:30AM 5 mornings a week and go all out (in the gym my husband made for me the week we moved into the house - he's a doll!).  Currently I am doing PeakFit Challenge by Michelle Dozois. I completed the 8 week program last December and decided to redo the 8 week program - because it was challenging (CRAZY HARD!!!) and I actually got some pretty decent results (a few lbs and some inches lost). 
So PeakFit Challenge is a 6 day a week program - each DVD is an hour - the longest one is 65 minutes.  And she works you.  It is no joke.  But no matter where you start, you get stronger.  You get faster (cardio), you jump higher, you recover (minimally) faster  - sometimes  :)
Would I recommend it - in a heartbeat.  Is it for everybody - absolutely not.  But if you want a challenge and you want to push hard, you might just love PeakFit!!
Anybody doing something they love and think I might love too??
Happy Monday

How do YOU fit it all in??

So I am guessing that most everybody is teaching full day.  I have my kids from 8:45 - 3:30ish.  Seems like a long day - but when you ave to fit in breakfast, lunch and snack, computer lab, therapies (I teach PreK ESE), recess/gross motor,  and rest time - I seem to always run short - forcing me to choose from centers or classtime (whole group - calendar/circletime, songs, story, papers, etc).  I am not discounting centers, but if its outdoors or centers, I choose sunshine!!  And I need to be able to teach them.  So I guess I am wondering - how does everybody else manage to fit it all in.
While I know most do not do rest - I do not do the full 90 minute reading block plus 60 minute math block (they are just in prek).  I have even tried what I termed the "switcheroo" where I broke the group into 2 smaller groups and they would take turns - half in centers (in another room) and the other half with me doing our lesson.  Then we switch - so yes I was doing most activities twice, however, I did group the kids somewhat by ability, so I could make it harder or easier based on the kids and how they were doing with the lesson/activity that day.
Long post - I tend to be long winded :)
Can't wait to see how you guys do it all.
(PS - I am also wondering how people fit in the curriculum stuff AND all the fun holidays/theme activities that I am buying by the bizillions on TPT).  Thanks in advance for sharing!!

Your input, please

Today's post is short and sweet - a question.
Do you follow nutrition plan that works for you?  By works for you I mean - somewhat easy to implement, taste good and makes you feel good.
I, currently, do not.
Hence my question - I'm looking for suggestions, thoughts and maybe even some inspiration.
Thanks in advance for replying :)

Monday Funday :)

It is an absolutely beautiful day here in Florida!! I woke up to a chilly (but awesome) 40-something degrees. The high -73, right now all me windows are open and - it's a tad chilly.  Usually at the end of April we are sweating already. It wont last - but it's fabulous!!

Other than that, I am finishing up my Community Helpers unit.  I am using the Pearson Opening the World of Learning (OWL) PreK curriculum.  The program is great!! One of my favorite parts of the curriculum - concept cards - that are on card stock, as well as on the computer - and they are interactive!! SO I pop in the cdrom and the kids and I chat about the picture, then listen to the explanation of the picture.  Some of our words this theme were: library, post office, street, hospital, house (essential question- what is in our community); doctor, policeman, postal worker, job, teacher (EQ - what do workers in our community do?); and gym, mall, supermarket, restaurant, movie theater (EQ - what can we do in our community?).  By talking about and listening to the descriptions, the kids are really developing and understanding of our theme (as evidenced by answers to my questions).
Next week - we begin the next theme - the Farm!!

stuck in our room

So this week has been hectic, but not exciting or inspirational - so I am not exactly sure what to post about.  Due to the fact that statewide testing for 3-5 graders is all this week and a big part of next, our day is very different.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, no recess and we are doing a modified center time in our small portable.  Needless to say, the kids energy is high, their physical outlet is not there.  So I am praying for a dry Friday - no puddles on the playground (of course we had rain today).
Hopefully next week will be less restrictive as only makeups and 5th grade are involved.

On a side note - we had a long singing time today.  I had bought a bunch of powerpoints for some of my favorite songs off TPT (Dr. Jean, Shari Sloane and Jack Hartmann songs).  It was great.  Even at lunch I had 4 year olds singing Shari's "Vowel Bat" - and it was only our second time ever singing it.  I just love singing with kids!!

Jillian Michaels Body Revolution - update

I thought I would update readers about my newest fitness program.  I wrote a few weeks ago about purchasing a new 90 DVD fitness program.  I have completed "1 week" of the program so far  - over the last 8 days.  The metabolic circuits are doable.  Jillian's cuing is EXCELLENT and she is really good about giving possibilities to make it harder if you want to push yourself.  The cardio is harder than I thought it would be, based on how Jillian referred to phase 1 being "low impact".  Even though it was not easy - the cardio could also be modified by a beginner. The moves are done for 1 minute each in a circuit - repeated 3 times.  
I will check in next week when I complete DVDs 3/4 - the circuits change the last 2 weeks of the month.

As for school - testing - UGH!! - for totally selfish reasons.  No recess for us today and for the next 3 days we wont have recess or be able to go to our center room (they use it for accommodations). 7+ hours a day in a room with nineteen 3-6 year olds. I just love state testing - not!!  :(

I survived :)

Today is done - aaahhhhhhh.
Sitting here on my couch, relaxing after our busy, busy day.  We walked to the library - and to my surprise, they did great!! I took us 22 minutes door to door - so we had time to play at the public park next door, before our official visit to the library.  The librarian talked about summer fun at the library and read 3 books.  We all got library cards (me, too!)  and a tour of the library, including all the offices where the "important people" work.  The kids had fun and were able to check out 2 books each.  We had a picnic lunch at the park and then walked back to school, where they rested while I attended a 4 hour ESE teacher meeting.

So glad tomorrow is Friday !!!

A very adventurous undertaking...

So we are learning about community helpers and things in a community.  I got a little ahead of myself and planned a walking field trip to the public library.  It's at least 1 mile - mostly uphill (really, I'm not kidding).  I have 17  4 and 5 year olds.
What was I thinking??? LOL

If I make it - I will check in tomorrow with all the details.

I've been tagged - for the first time ever!!

So Erin, my blog design buddy has tagged me.  I've yet to be tagged in blogville, so I hope I do this right!!

My questions and responses:
1. Meals or snacks?
snacks -  I like to make meals out of snacks (LOL)
2. Soda or water?
Water, no soda since 2005
3. Mountains or beaches?
neither, I'm NOT a nature girl (can you say air conditioning)
4. Cats or dogs?
dogs
5. Chocolate or Vanilla?
chocolate
6. Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts?
DD - but for the donuts, I don't even drink coffee
7. Movie theater or renting?
renting
8. Pool or ocean?
if I had to choose, pool
9. Car or SUV?
car - something small and sporty, hopefully red!!
10. Early bird or Night Owl?
I'm up before the early bird every day!

My 10 questions...
1. What grade do you teach?
2. What was your first job ever?
3. Favorite TV show right now?
4. Favorite theme to teach?
5. If I won $1000, I would ...
6. What are your summer 2012 plans?
7. Casual or dress clothes for work-school?
8. Favorite go to meal at a restaurant?
9. What's for dinner tonight?
10. Name 2 blogs you love right now

Okay so my ten tags:
1. Creating and teaching
2. Loving and Learning
3. Miss Chamblees kinderfriends
4. Kindergarten Kronicles
5. Kreative in Kinder
6. Miss Plants Press
7. Mrs. Albanese's Kindergarten  Class
8. Can do Kinders
9. Ms. McBee's Kinderbugs
10. Under the Alphabet Tree

Thanks for including me in the fun!!

My other obsession :)

So I was thinking - while this is my teacher blog, and my life mostly centers around all things school, there is another part of me I figured I could sidebar blog about as well.  OCD number 2 - fitness.  I never did anything team sport wise, or any sport -wise.  In high school I had to take gym every semester. After the first semester of big group gym, I took yoga for 3 1/2 years. I stretched...barely
Anyway - fast forward to 1996. I went to a step class with my sister in law. Holy cow - it was awesome. The 2 day a week class was great, but I bought a step and some dvd's and a fitness fanatic was born (doing a step tape 7 days a week).  Now it's 2012 and I still work out 7 days a week - sometimes 2X a day.  My newest fitness regime is by Jillian Michaels, her new Body Revolution 90 day system.  I have 3 friends at work willing to do it with me (30 minutes a day, 6 days a week) - we took measurements today and I look forward to seeing some positive 90 days results!!  I will update as the weeks go on.


Anyone else have an awesome fitness program they love?? I am always up for something different.