Currently July!!

Has another month seriously come and gone?!?!

 

I'll be honest I'm not quite sure what day it is. I tend to lose track during this part of the year lol! I do know what time it is though... time to link up with Farley from Oh Boy 4th Grade! for her Currently July!

 

 

Whew! I am ENJOYING the heck out of this morning! My daughter is with my mother in law going to Disney World today, so I actually got to sleep in until 9:00 this morning. Folks, I cannot tell you the last time that I was able to do that! It was awesome! Now I'm enjoying a cup of coffee, banana pancake, and blogging in peace. I'm savoring every minute!

 

Can I tell you how much I'm loving summer vacation?!?! No stress, no worries, need I say more?!?!

 

I'm thinking about my friend's baby shower today that I helped plan for her. I'm so excited to help her celebrate her first child and I saw the cutest 3D/4D ultrasound pictures of her little boy yesterday. I can't wait to meet him!

 

I am desperately wanting my housework to be done. I just got done last week scrubbing my house from top to bottom and is it ever done?!? Nope...now once again I have a heap of laundry to fold. Maybe I can convince the hubs to do it...hmmm...

 

I am desperately needing a mini-vacay away from home. I'm thinking maybe a weekend getaway for my hubs's birthday coming up here in a few weeks. There's something about getting away to rejuvenate for a few days that makes all of the difference in the world!

 

Tips for blogging-- Show a lot of pictures!! Make us feel a part of your classroom and daily life. I get so inspired by each and every one of you (I think I follow about 1200 blogs that I saw on bloglovin!! cray cray, I know...). I may not get to every single one of you every day, but when I do, I love visually seeing your ideas! Keep up the great work bloggers! I can't tell you how much you all have inspired me to be a better teacher since I discovered teacher blogs a couple of summers ago.

 

Have a great Saturday!!



It's Five for Friday Again...6-28-13

Hello my fellow friends!,

 

It's Friday which is my favorite day and my favorite blog post! It's Five For Friday with Kacey from Doodle Bugs Teaching! Here's what I've been up to this week!:

 

 

1. My daughter's 4th birthday!

 

Oh my goodness, my baby is 4 years old! Time is flying by way too fast! :-( We celebrated her birthday with our family on Sunday and it was mommy/daughter birthday time on Monday. Here are some snapshots of our time:

 

 

My daughter with her auntie!!!

 

What a ham! She's definitely not shy...

 

 

Our mommy/daughter day watching Monsters University!! It was a great movie! :-)

 

2. Working, working, working!

 

It feels good to be off and working on TPT products. Here is my current project that I am very excited about:

 

 

 I feel like I have TPT ADD (as my friend Amanda from One Extra Degree describes it). I feel like my current project is the slowest project ever, but I know it's going to be great when it's done! I had to laugh when Kimberly Geswein showed me this picture:

 

 

I'm stuck in the "this sucks-and it's boring" part LOL. Do you ever feel that way with a TPT project?!?!

 

3. Going broke!

 

This is my problem during the summer...I see the extra paychecks in my account and think I have more money than I have and start spending out of boredom. It's already dwindling down, but why let that stop me from buying a new couch. The hubs and I are headed to Rooms to Go to buy this set! As an excuse, our old reclining set has both handles broken off so we can never close it. Good excuse, right?!

 

 

4. Follow me on Bloglovin!!

 

Have you heard about the switch from Google Reader to Bloglovin'???

 

In a few days, there is no more google reader. Make sure you follow me on bloglovin'! There is a button on my sidebar to click to follow along! There is a tutorial in my blog post about how to sign up for Bloglovin'. In return I am choosing 2 people to win $10 worth of products from my TPT store. Click HERE to go to the giveaway post! Don't miss out!!

 

5. My final thought for today...

 

As I sat here and was organizing different ways to integrate technology in my classroom next year, I stumbled across this e-card that made me crack up! It's amazing how times have changed...

 

 

Ha! So true! I remember being excited about Mr. Sketch smelly markers!! Now my students have iPads and iPhones!

 

 

Have a FABULOUS Friday!,



It's Throwback Thursday...Crate Seats + Bloglovin' Giveaway!

Happy Thursday Fabulous Followers!!,

 

Wow! It really feels good to be able to blog everyday again. I missed being able to have the leisure to do this for a while. It's Throwback Thursday again with Cara from The First Grade Parade!!

 

 

I thought that this past post would be helpful to some of you. It is a Monday Made It on Crate Seats that I made last summer. It walks you step by step on how to make them if you are interested in making them.

So sit back and enjoy the read...

 

Monday, July 9, 2012

Happy Monday Sweet Friends!,

I'm back for another edition of Monday Made It with Tara from 4th Grade Frolics!

This week, I made something that I have been wanting to make for a while now...crate seats!! 

I'm sure many of you have seen these floating around Pinterest! Here is a breakdown of how to make these:

First, supplies! For 5 crate seats, I bought the following supplies:

5 Crates @ Target- $3.84/each

2 yards of Fabrics- $9.00

5 Foam Squares from Hobby Lobby- $3.00 each. Here is the size that I bought:

Sheet of plywood 3/4" at Lowes- $27.00 (you can buy less- I bought extra plywood just in case I want to make extra seats).

Spray adhesive glue- $5.00

Staple Gun w/ Staples- $10.00

Here are the step by step instructions on how I made these:

1. Buy the crates & take one with you to Home Depot or Lowes so they can measure the plywood precisely to fit on the lip inside of the crate.

2. Take a piece of the plywood and spray it with the adhesive & place the foam on top of it.

3. Once dry, lay out your fabric and put the plywood/foam piece on it. Cut around it so you leave enough fabric to fold under on all sides.

4. I took the fabric and folded it tight like I was wrapping a birthday present. Then I stapled it in several places to make sure it was secure:

5. I turned it over & placed it inside the crate securely. It fit perfectly and here is the final result...

 

It was a fairly easy project and a lot of fun to do. Do you have a creation to share? Head over to 4th Grade Frolics and link up with Tara!

What to make next week? That is the question. One thing I know is that I will definitely be back next Monday with another creation. I'm having a blast making everything! :)

Ok fellow followers, are you following me on Bloglovin' yet!! If not, head on over to my sidebar and click on "Follow Me On Bloglovin'!" There's a huge bloglovin' linky giveaway where if you join us on bloglovin', you have a chance to win TPT prizes or gift cards. Enter the rafflecopter below for my blog. 2 people will be selected to choose $10 worth of products from my TPT store!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Stop by and visit all of these Bloglovin' Bloggers:



Adios Google Reader!! Follow me on Bloglovin GIVEAWAY!

Hello sweet friends,

 

 As you may very well know, Google Reader is saying goodbye on July 1st. Don't be sad though, because there is a bloglovin' bandwagon in town.

Bloglovin is very similar to Google Reader and is a great way to organize and read your blogs. I found it very easy to transfer all of my blogs over to bloglovin' with a few clicks of some buttons.

 

Here's some step by step instructions of how to transfer over:

 

1. Head on over to www.bloglovin.com and click sign up at the top.

 

 

2. Create an account either through your facebook page or email. I did it through my email because that's how I was signed up

 

3. If you sign up by email, this is what you'll see below:

 

 

 

4. Check your email and click the link to validate!!

 

 

5. Once you click the link in your email, here comes the fun part!! Click the button to import all of your blogs from google reader. It may take a few minutes, depending on how many you are following.

 

 

6. And Voila!! You are now a bloglovin' reader!! All of your blogs will pop up in their reader and you will think google who?!?

 

 

Now for the really fun part. Let's have a giveaway. There is a fun giveaway that Collaboration Cuties is doing to get people on the Bloglovin' Bandwagon!! There are a TON of bloggers who are giving away prizes for following them on bloglovin' from TPT products to gift cards. Click on the picture below to see the link up!

 

  If you follow me on Bloglovin', you get to pick $10 worth of products from my TPT store!!!

Just click the button on the sidebar toward the top of my page that says "Click here to follow me on Bloglovin'" and then when you are redirected to bloglovin' click "follow". Come back here and enter for your chance to win on rafflecopter below: 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

   

Good Luck!!! :-) 

First Week of School Picture Books!

Happy Summer Friends!,

 

I don't know about you, but I know my brain NEVER turns off from teacher mode, not even in the summer time. I'm already thinking of fresh new ideas for the new school year and what to do to prepare for that time we all know and love...back to school time.

EEEK...Yes, I know that I should not be thinking about this yet. I've only been on vacation a little less than 3 weeks, but it's a teacher thing!

Today I'm linking up with the lovely Deanne from First Grade and Fabulous and The Teacher's Chair to tell you about the books that I use for the first week of school.

 

 

 

Since I have a pirate theme, I always read the pirate books by Melinda Long and David Shannon. First we start off reading "How I Became a Pirate" which I turn into a writing activity afterwards. Students write about what they would do in a sentence frame (beginning 1st graders :-)) if they became a pirate. It is always a hit!

 

 

Then we follow up with "Pirates Don't Change Diapers" and discuss the similarities and differences between the 2 books.

 

 

I make sure we do a book themed study with fun activities every day of the first week. On the first day of school, we always read the Kissing Hand and A Pocket Full of Kisses.

 

 

 

We discuss how we feel as first graders in a new classroom and being separated from our parents. Then we do an activity related to that. We have made Kissing Hand Necklaces, Handprint puzzles with a poem to go along with it, or eat Kissing Hand cookies.

 

Another book that we cover the first week of school is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom as we review letters and sounds from Kindergarten.

 

 

Following this book, we make our own coconut trees with cut out letters. This activity can be found in my Back to School Read Alouds Activity Pack:

 

 

Another day we read one of my favorite books, "Chrysanthemum" to discuss names and how special and unique our names are.

 

 

Then we make a flower glyph based on the vowels, syllables, and letters in our names which is also in the Back to School pack above. Here is a picture of the glyph:

 

 

Another book that I love to use to go over school safety rules is "Officer Buckle and Gloria". My students always get a kick out of this book as we read it.

 

 

Then we discuss our school safety rules and come up with some class rules collaboratively that we will follow in our classroom.

 

Some other books that I will be adding to our first week of school fun this year:

 

 

 

I just found this one!!! How perfect for my pirate theme and playground rules...I am in LOVE!! <3

 

and

 

 

I am a big believer in the bucket filling program. After a overwhelming year last year, I want to get this program back on track in my classroom.

 

What books do you use for the first week of school? Link up with First Grade and Fabulous to share!!!

 

Have a great one!!,

 



Five for Friday 6-21-13

Hello Friends!

 

It's that day that we all know and love...FRIDAY!!, which means it's time for another Five for Friday link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching!!

 

 

 

Well, I am in full summertime mode this week! Let's see what I can dig up for fun!

 

1. Kindness of Our Hearts Donation Drive

 

 

If you haven't heard yet, I am having a donation drive for my teammate Kathy who was in a bad car accident a few weeks ago. She was severely injured and has a long road to recovery. Thanks to my amazing blogger friends, I was able to put together this donation drive. For a donation of $20, you will receive $250 worth of TPT products!! I am keeping it up for a few more days. If you are interested in contributing, please click HERE to go to the post and read about the accident and what is included in this bundle.

 

2. Summer Reading!

 

I have been trying to find ways to keep myself busy this summer. Have you heard of the book "Teach Like a Pirate"?

 

 

If you are up for an easy, yet intriguing summer reading, then you should scoop this up. I'm going to do a blog post on this later on this week. It really is enlightening as a teacher to read the tips and ways to rejuvenate ourselves in the teaching profession.

 

3. TPT Madness

 

After a 5 month hiatus, I am back to creating on TPT! I am obsessed with classroom décor!!! Here are some packs that I've created so far:

 

 

 

 

 

Click on any of the pictures above to take you to my TPT store if you like what you see. I am currently adding some editable parts to each of the packs, as well as a welcome banner and clip chart, all for the same price as listed already!

 

These are the packs that I'm working on. Keep a look out for:

 

 

 

 

4. Family Time!!

 

I am enjoying every minute of family time that I can! I signed my daughter up for gymnastics, swim lessons, and we've been keeping busy at places like the splash pad. There's no time more precious than family time. I love that face...

 

 

5. Baby Nursery Clean Out!!

 

I was hard at work cleaning out my daughter's playroom which will be turned into our new baby's nursery. If I said that I needed a shovel and a wheelbarrow to clean it out, I probably wouldn't be exaggerating much. Thanks to the help of my sister, here is what it looks like now:

 

 

 

Now we need to break out the paint and paint it lavender! It would've been very easy if it was a boy, but that's okay lol.  Since we have another little girl already who is the princess of pink, we decided to go with lavender with this one. This is the bedding set I have my heart set on:

 

 

 

Well that's all folks! What's your Five for Friday! Go and share with Doodle Bugs Teaching!!

I'm off to a weekend full of birthday parties!!