Learning is Something to Treasure: 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.