And so it begins...

I've decided to go for it and create my very own blog. This is the last thing I thought I'd be doing. I've only recently delved into the blogs of others, and here I am starting my own blogging adventure. I got the inspiration this morning while feverishly browsing blogs to "borrow" the ideas of others. My philosophy is work smarter, not harder. And one thing I definitely don't want to do is recreate the wheel. That being said, my goal as I begin my blog is to share my experiences and ideas so I can give back to the blogging community I have so readily enjoyed taking from.
First, a little about me. I'm currently in my 5th full year teaching 4th grade, and mostly loving every second of it. This year our district has changed the structure for the 4-5-6 grade levels. I now only teach humanities in 4th grade (reading, writing, social studies). I have three adorable kitties at home, and they provide constant entertainment. When I'm not teaching, lesson planning, or worrying about new activities for school, I love to scrapbook, hike, and read a good book.