What's Ahead in 2013, Currently, Giveaway + Sale!!

Happy New Year's Eve!!

So another year is coming to an end. It is so crazy to think that it seems like yesterday was the beginning of 2012 and now we are venturing into 2013. From my family to yours, I wish you all a wonderful new year. May 2013 bring you happiness and good fortune!

Today I'm linking up with Michelle at Making It As A Middle School Teacher and Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade to talk about some of the things that I have planned for 2013...



Here are some of my goals/events for next year...

2013 is going to bring more hard work, but I'm up for it. I am changing my outlook on things, both personally and professionally. These last few months have been an immense struggle to me, but I realize that I am the only one that can change how things affect my life. I am in the process of making a lot of changes and I think it will be good for me. =)

Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade  is having her monthly Currently. Here is what I'm up to:

I'm so excited that my friend and I decided to hang out spur of the moment for New Year's Eve. I was set to have a boring NYE at home, maybe working on TPT products, but I'm so excited that plans have changed.I need to have a fun evening with friends!! I have been cooped up for the past 2 weeks with a 3 year old lol!

I am excited that it's a new year. I feel like there is so much that I want to change that now is a good time to do it! That's why my OLW is CHANGE!!

Don't forget to enter for a chance to win a copy of my Plenty of Penguin nonfiction unit!! It features information and fun on 10 different species of penguins!!

 2 lucky winners will receive a copy of it. But hurry hurry, the giveaway ends at midnight when the ball drops!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also, don't miss out on my Happy New Year sale in my Teachers Pay Teachers. All of my items are 20% off. Now is a perfect time to stock up on some back to school goodies!! 

Click HERE to check it out!!

I'll be back in 2013 to announce the 2 penguin pack winners!!! :)

Happy New Year and please be safe!!

New Year's Resolutions, Penguin Giveaway, and SALE!!

Good Morning Friends!!,

I am making a quick stop by this morning before I head off to Sea World with the family on this cold morning!! I had to link up with my friend Jen over at The Teacher's Cauldron for her New Year's Resolutions linky!

All that you have to do is link up with your New Year's Resolutions...personal and/or for blogging (if you have a blog).

Here it goes...

My personal resolution is not going to be your typical. I'm not going to promise to exercise or lose weight. I'm not going to promise you I'm going to eat healthier. My New Year's resolution is to be a stronger person! I have a problem with letting people take advantage of me. I have a hard time saying no. I resolve to take a stand and not be such a push over. This is going to be hard for me, but I think I have hit the point where I'm ready to give it a shot!

My blogging resolution is to blog on a more regular basis. I was doing great at the beginning and during the summer, but that all took a nose dive when the new school year came along. I have recently seen the idea of a blogging calendar on pinterest. I LOVE this idea!! I want to set up a calendar for blogging like this, so I can get ahead of the game:

 I also hope to remember to take more classroom pictures so I can share what I am doing in my classroom here on my blog!

Go and link up with Jen at The Teacher's Cauldron to share some of your New Year's Resolutions!

Next up, I just finished my new unit, "Plenty of Penguins"!!

 

This unit includes nonfiction information on 10 different types of penguins, vocabulary cards, real life pictures and posters, graphic organizers for each type of penguin, a fact keeper book that students can record information and keep for future reference, and a penguin facts craftivity. Here is a collage of my unit in action:

 

Click HERE to view it at my TPT store!

In case you missed it, I am giving away 2 copies to some lucky winners!! The giveaway ends when the ball drops at 12:00 on January 1st. Enter for your chance to win in the Rafflecopter below!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The last BIG news today is...I am having a TPT sale for New Year's!!! From today through January 1st, everything in my TPT store is 20% off!!! 

Click HERE to head to my Teachers Pay Teachers store!! Happy Shopping!! :)

Best and Brightest 2012, Penguin Fun and FREEBIE+ giveaway!

Happy Weekend Friends!!,

Oh.my.gosh!! My B-A-D! It has been 2 weeks since I've posted! I'll be honest, I have been in a bit of a     f-u-n-k lately with juggling everything! Stressed can't even begin to describe it, but I am enjoying every bit of this much needed winter break. Today I'm linking up with the marvelous Christina at Bunting, Books, and Bainbridge for her linky...

Here's the rules of this linky:

The only rules are... it needs to be a new post that tells about your favorite posts, products, and fellow bloggers from the year!  You can certainly link up all of your favorite posts... but put them in a new blog post.  Please only link up once per blog!  I don't want the linky to be cluttered with many links from one blog! 

The best thing I did this year...

This is a tie! The best thing that I did was start my own blog (which is ohsoclose to 1000 followers!!). I love sharing ideas and tips with everyone and reading your genius ideas in return. You don't know how many times I've hit my head & said "Why didn't I think of that?" That is why I have you to rely on!! The ideas we share together are amazing!!

The next best thing I've done is started my own TPT store. I started it back in May and haven't looked back. As a teacher and a mother, I have wondered several times...How am I going to make it? The raises are slim and the cost of living keeps going up. Teachers Pay Teachers has been my saving grace. It's a part time job that I LOVE and can do from the comfort of my own home while being with my daughter!!

The post I love best from this year is...

My crate seats post from my summer Monday Made It's over at 4th Grade Frolics. Looking at the pictures and comments that I received on them puts the biggest smile on my face! It was my first BIG Monday Made It project and it was a great accomplishment to be able to make them!! My students use them all the time and LOVE them!

My most popular post this year was...

My 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway: Day 1! This was the first year that I did these giveaways and freebies & I had AWESOME feedback from it. It is definitely going to be a yearly tradition from now on!! 

Click HERE to take a peek! All of the freebies are up if you want them for next Christmas!

The BEST news that I shared on my blog was...

When Good Morning America contacted me to feature some of my Back to School Pictures that they saw on my blog!! I was like Shut the Front Door...GMA!?!? Even though my feature lasted about 2 seconds, I was proud that they even considered me for national television! :)

The Best Product I Created This Year was...

My Election Day F-U-N unit with Duck for President!! It was a hit with everyone! I had a blast using this with my own students, as well. Click HERE to check it out!

The best freebie I shared this year was...

My Thanksgiving How-To Writing Pack!

Click on the title above to download this freebie. It was featured in TPT's freebie newsletter which was exciting because it was my first TPT featured product!! :)

I have met so many new blogger friends on this journey into blogging!! I can't even begin to describe. Heidi from My (Not So) Elementary Life has been a lifesaver!! Also Sara from Miss V's Busy Bees has always been there!! All of my "Top Teachers"...you know who you are...the list can go on and on. I look forward to continuing to make many more new friends along the way!!

Share your best and brightest with Bunting, Books, and Bainbridge!!

Now for some penguin fun!! I hope you are still with me!!

I just completed my Plenty of Penguins: Non-Fiction Unit!!!

I am SO stoked about this one!! It features 10 different species of penguins & is full of circle maps, tree maps, fact pages, fact keeper journal for each student, and a poster for each penguin....PLUS a penguin facts craftivity. To check this out, click HERE.

*I will be giving away this unit to 2 lucky winners on New Year's Eve!! What a great way to start the New Year!! Enter in Rafflecopter for your chance to win!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here's a freebie from the unit from me to you!! It's a general penguin K-W-L, circle map, and tree map for you to use with any penguin study.

Click HERE to download! I'm also linking this with Freebie Friday!

Good luck!!! See you soon! :)

Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary

Heartbroken...

A little less than 24 hours ago, a little town in Connecticut changed forever.

As the story unfolds, the tears keep coming. I can't seem to make sense of it all. All these innocent lives taken. Being a teacher, it hits SO close to home. My prayers go out to all of the students, families, teachers, and community members of Sandy Hook Elementary.

(From Melonheadz Illustrating)

As my heart is breaking, this reminds me how blessed I am to be part of such a wonderful profession and this makes me appreciate my students that much more. It reminds me not to take anyone or anything for granted because life changes in an instant. God bless all of the heroes of Sandy Hook Elementary. I read of Victoria Soto, who was a first grade teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary. She shielded her students from the bullets and lost her life. She is a hero and makes me so proud to be a teacher. 

I can't even begin to imagine how much time this is going to take for the healing process to even begin. This has shaken our country to the core. If you are a blogger, please join your fellow bloggers in a moment of silence tomorrow for Sandy Hook Elementary. Thank you to Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade for organizing this.

Instead of blogging tomorrow, create a blog post titled "Silence For Sandy Hook Elementary" and post the picture above. 

Please continue praying for those victims of Sandy Hook Elementary and God Bless.

The Best Is Yet To Come...12 Days of Christmas WINNERS!!

Hello Friends!!,

The suspense has been building and now for the exciting part....announcing the winners of the 12 Days of Christmas giveaways!!! Day 12 is still going until midnight so click HERE to check it out!!

Okay, drummmmroollll please.......

a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats to all of the lucky winners!!! I will be emailing everyone shortly!! Thank you to everyone who joined in the fun!! I can't wait to do this again next year. :) 

Join me tomorrow for a double feature of Fabulous Blogger Friday!!

12 Days of Christmas: Day 12 GIVEAWAY + FREEBIE!!

WELCOME to the 12th Day of Christmas giveaway and freebie!

I can't believe this time has come to an end. Thank you to all of you who joined in the fun for the past 12 days!! I am so excited to have so many new followers and there will be more excitement to come on my blog. :) All of the giveaways are open until midnight tonight so you still have a few hours to enter. Since I am posting today's giveaway kind of late, I will keep today's giveaway open until midnight December 14th. Click on the links below to check out the last 11 days of giveaways and freebies if you missed it!

Day 1        Day 2     Day 3      Day 4     Day 5     Day 6

Day 7     Day 8     Day 9     Day 10      Day 11

On the 12th Day of Christmas, you have the chance to win...

Sweet Christmas Centers

from Mrs. Wheeler's First Grade

Hot Cocoa Expanded Notation Pack

from Tara at ...and They All Fall Down

AND...

a Holiday Fluency Package

from Sally at Elementary Matters!!

Please enter in rafflecopter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Today's freebie is a "Hot Chocolate" addition facts activity to help students work on facts to 18!! I hope you enjoy it!

Click HERE to download this from google docs!!

Also, I am having a sale at my Teachers Pay Teachers Store!!

All of my holiday themed products are marked 20% off until December 14th! Click HERE to go to my store! :)

Stay tuned...tomorrow I will be announcing the LUCKY winners!!! :)

Have a great evening!

12 Days of Christmas: Day 11 GIVEAWAY + FREEBIE!!

WELCOME to Day 11 of our 12 Days of Christmas here at Learning Is Something To Treasure

Sadly this time is soon coming to an end....but why focus on that!?! Let's have some fun!

If you are just joining us, you are not too late for all of the giveaways and freebies that have been posted since December 1st. Here's all of the links to our other giveaways and freebies. All giveaways will end December 13th at midnight.

Day 1       Day 2         Day 3       Day 4      Day 5

   Day 6        Day 7         Day 8        Day 9        Day 10

On the 11th day of Christmas, I am giving you the chance to wiiiiinnn...

December Printables Pack

from Denise at Sunny Days in Second Grade

Find The Gingerbread Man Sight Word Game

and Find the Candycane Sight Word Game

from Kaci at Mrs. Hoffer's Spot!!

Click to enter in rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And for my freebie today...it's called Santa's Syllables and can be used as a center activity. Students will sort the holiday words by 1 or 2 syllables and write their words on a recording sheet. Click on the link below the picture to download it!!

Click HERE to download for free!!

Please join me tomorrow for our LAST (sigh...) day of the 12 days of Christmas with a giveaway featuring...

and yet another freebie from me to you!! Have a great evening friends!! :)

12 in '12 Linky Party!!

Hi friends, sorry for the double post today!

With all of the giveaway excitement over here, I haven't had the chance to do any regular posts lately. I saw Hadar and Kristin's linky party & couldn't miss the chance to link up for the 12 in 12!

Click HERE to check it out!

Here it goes...My 12 in '12 favorites!:

12. Favorite movie you watched:

My favorite movie this year...no brainer for me...Hunger Games!! I read the trilogy earlier in the year and was so psyched to see this movie!! I loved it every bit as much as I thought I would!

11. Favorite TV series:

I love me some Dexter!! And I love me some Michael C. Hall!! I am a few episodes behind, but am planning on setting some time aside to catch up this week...if my neverending stack of papers to grade ever dwindles down!

10. Favorite restaurant:

My favorite restaurant is definitely Outback Steakhouse. I love the prime rib there. They never disappoint!!

9. Favorite new thing you tried:

Blogging and Teachers Pay Teachers!  I was a blog stalker until May of this year & decided to jump right in and join the fun. I am SO glad that I did. I have encountered so many wonderful and brilliant bloggers who have totally changed my perception on teaching. I also created my first TPT product back in May & it just keeps getting better!!

8. Favorite gift you got:

I'd have to say that my favorite gift is a gift that I gave to myself...my Kindle Fire! I absolutely LOVE it. After I saw my friend Michelle's kindle, I was sold!!

7. Favorite thing you pinned:

I have so many pins on my boards that I don't know where to begin. I LOVE ecards!! Here are a few of my favorites...

and probably my favorite...

6. Favorite blog post:

This is a tough one, but I'd have to say it was the Monday Made It Post when I made crate seats for my classroom! I was so proud that I was actually able to make these without messing them up! lol 

5. Best accomplishment:

My best accomplishment was being voted Teacher of the Year.. I couldn't be more excited and honored for that opportunity!

4. Favorite picture:

This was at my little sister's wedding in November. What a great family picture!! :)

3. Favorite memory:

Back at the end of August, I was contacted by Good Morning America to air some of my back to school pictures. This little cutie of mine ended up on GMA!!

2. Goal for 2013:

My goal is to stay positive & do even better with my blogging and Teachers Pay Teachers. TPT and blogging have been a godsend and I have so many ideas just bubbling out of my head that I can't wait to share!

1. One Little Word:

Blessed! I couldn't be more blessed with everything in my life & want to remember this in 2013! :)