my kinder team

here are me and my kindergarten teammates (brandi, me, peggy, rachel, jodena, and debbie) kicking off a great year!

my classroom: ready to "dive" into a great year!

i had to share pictures of my classroom because i am so excited to start the year! i have had so much fun catching up with my teammates and decorating my room! i am not AT ALL done decorating as i haven't gotten my class list yet to put names around the room.

view from the door. i got the cute ocean decor from adam's mom who just retired from teaching pre-k!
view from the loft.

whole group area.

word wall and computer center.

art center and writing center.

sand, play-doh and magnetic letters are stored at this table. on top of the table are things for kinder camp which is coming up in a few days! we are ready to set sail into an awesome year!

below: the students' cubbies where they put their work and folder each day. the students are in charge of getting their own folder to take home rather than me passing them out at the end of school. this saves a lot of time! above: "caught being good" bulletin board. i put all of the students' names on clothespins. when a student is caught making good choices, i move his or her clothespin to a fish that has what they were "caught" doing on it such as being kind, working hard, and making good choices.

small reading group table. my literacy activities and games are stored on the shelves behind the table.

reading center and white board center

home center and games center.

each student has his/her own locker. above is the bulletin board with an ocean theme. we're going to "make a big splash in kindergarten!"

i tag my teammates, debbie, brandi and jodena and my sister-in-law, mandy, to put pictures up of their classrooms! if you are a teacher, tag--you're it!

grillin' in our new backyard

tour de la casa nueva de unnasch continued...

this is what adam's been up to ever since he got his first ever grill mid-summer. he loves to grill and i love to eat (ah, i wished i didn't love it so much!) so it works out perfect.
our little patio.

and our quaint, little yard.

SHOW US YOUR LIFE @ Kelly's Korner: TRAVEL

this week's topic at http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/ is favorite places to travel (which is what i love to do most. yes, i admit it. i have an addiction. an expensive one.

My favorite places to vacay.

International travel is always at the top for me (but not for the pocket book!)as new worlds are opened up each new country I visit. I look at life and the world through a different pair of glasses (sunglasses, maybe?) after having traveled outside of my own country.

istanbul, turkey

1. Europe

for europe travel, go to http://www.contiki.com/. my opinion is that contiki is the best way to travel europe. it's a tour group for ages 18-35 year-olds, so you get to travel europe without feeling lost (and therefore, wasting time, money, and enjoyment) and making fellow tourist friends on the tour that are from around the world while you are at it.
my fav places in europe:
italy. musts: tuscany, the italian riviera, venice, the roman ruins, the vatican. gelato at least twice a day. italian pizza. paninis.
france. ah pari! mi amore! musts: a trip to the llouvre (the largest art museum in the world), the view of paris from mont martre. the french countryside with a visit to a castle or two. the french riviera, nothing else like it. the french pastry.
greece. musts: taking a tour of santorini (the island) and ending your tour by riding a donkey to the bottom of the island. the ruins in athens. island hopping.
the netherlands. musts: a bike ride in a picturesque village that canals go through. amsterdam. the ann frank house and museum.
turkey. different from any other country i've been to. a must if you are ever in turkey: the istanbul bizarre (the largest bizarre in the world) where you can find very unique items in vibrant colors.

savannah, georgia

2. The Carribean

my fav places in the carribean:
playa [del carmen] on the mexican riviera. THE best water/beach/ocean out of any place i have been to. the mexicans are so friendly, and welcoming. musts: sipping a drink on the beach while listening to relaxing music and looking at the water that is so perfectly clear it's almost screaming your name to take a dip. the mayan ruins.
jamaica, mon. musts: ziplining in the jungle. listening to jamaican music. dancing to jamaican music. sipping jamaican drinks (although i don't really drink, hah!) on the jamaican beach.
grand caymans. you have to swim with the sting rays if you are ever in the caymans.

jamaica. ya'mon.

3. North America

my fav places in north america:
Banff. Banff National Park, Canada. Lake Louis. The clear blue glacier lakes.
California. especially Newport Beach and the ocean views drive from LA to San Fran.
Destin, Florida. ahhh, the dreamy white sand.
Savannah, Georgia and Hilton Head, South Carolina. the beautiful flowers and huge, southern trees hanging over historic buildings in savannah. the southern hospitality. the beautiful scenery and riding bikes on the beach in hilton head.

D.C. especially alexandria and georgetown va. oh my, the historical sites to see here! alexandria and georgetown are so chic, so preppy, so american.

The Rockies. such natural beauty and so peaceful in the mountains.

hawaii

Places I still want to go.
Places here...in the States: new england, tennessee, the beaches of north carolina, new york city again, napa valley.

and
Places there...not in the States: thailand, spain/portugal, egypt, india, prague, japan, russia, ireland.

Now I need is the money to go the places here and the places there. So, if you would like to make a donation to the Laura Unnasch Travel Fund, please click here: JUST KIDDING, OF COURSE!

How to get the most bang for your buck when traveling:

1. always, always do your research on travel discount sites and on the actual airline, hotel, car rental websites to find the cheapest rates.

2. once you are at your destination, ask for an upgrade, special request if you want it!

3. don't feel bad asking for discounts. you have nothing to lose!

4. don't spend money on silly, cheasy souvenires. unless it's really unique, and will actually be used (decorating the house using items you got on a trip is great), then don't waste the money.

SHOW US YOUR LIFE: Wedding Receptions @ Kelly's Korner

it's reception time over at http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/ , so here's our reception. Or, should i say DANCE PARTY?!!!

rockin' the room during our father-daughter dance to my girl. my dad has good spirit fingers, don't you think? to watch the complete dance go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6lsUhdmoag.

i think after this dance my dad realized a gift he didn't know he had before. is his real gift dancing?
pictures of our parents' and grandparents' weddings.
getting jiggy wid' it.
you go, christina!! nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah.

my photographers loved these three. they are literally in half the wedding pictures.
getting jiggy wid' it. again.

best band ever. nash hernandez orchestra.

favors that my mother-in-law made and were on each table for the guests.

i couldn't believe it but my photographers never took a picture of the table settings! that's what i wanted to see but, oh well.

we had three flower arrangements on the tables, all white flowers in three different sized vases throughout the room. also, not pictured, lovely, sheer chair covers--my fav.

let them eat cake!

sounds like an interesting convo, doesn't it?

off to jamaica, mon. tah-tah til we meet again!

welcome to our living room

come, step right in...

view from hallway near kitchen. the doors lead to the backyard.
the leather sofas were our big purchase for the house! the lady who lived here before us left the curtains and window treatments.

view of walkways that open up into the office (or "children's retreat" according to the builders). i would like to add accent chairs on both sides of the accent table.

i don't particularly like the tv here but it was the only place that was wired for a tv. so, hopefully we can eventually cover the shelf that the tv is on with white cabinets.

little nitch #1.

little nitch #2

thanks again for stopping by! =)

i love being a BEACH BUM

adam and i went to the coast with adam's family and we had lots of....

FUN
IN
THE

SUN!