The Magical Product Swap

I am so excited to be participating in the Magical Product Swap once again!

I love participating and seeing all the fabulous resources come to life everyone's blog posts and I always get so super luck with amazing partners!

I am over the moon to be partnered with Sara of Smiling in Second Grade!

 I just love her and her blog is adorable!

It was such a blessing when I saw her Writing Mini-Unit!
This resource was just what I needed and was perfect for my kiddos as they becoming great little writers. It was everything I needed and it was so super easy to put together.

It was as easy as....

one....



TWO....

THREE! 

Seriously!! 

Each folder was taped,glued and ready for the laminator in no time flat! 
It made my night and when the kiddos saw them they were in LOVE!

Isn't that fabulous? 

But wait there is more!!

Have you seen Sara's super cute Owls in the Classroom?

Oh. My. Word! 

This has everything that you could ever imagine! Included in this wonderful best selling resource are:
This packet contains everything you need for an owl-themed classroom! It includes:
~ welcome banner
~ group numbers
~ lunch chart
~ daily schedule
~ classroom numbers
~ classroom jobs chart
~ behavior clip chart
~ dismissal chart
~ calendar cards
~ days of the week
~ months of the year
~ voice level chart
~ supply labels
~ book bin/word wall labels
~ name tags
~ binder covers

Everything you could ever need for a colorful, cheerful classroom! 

Sara is so super talented! Make sure to check out her 
TpT store as well as her blog!

Sara is highlighting my newest little creation, Farewell to Our Classroom Elf and also one of my very first resources My Human Body Book! I would love for you to stop by Sara's and read her super sweet post and then enter to win a copy of each of my products! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Don't want to wait? I am having a sale! My store will be on sale 20% off until Sunday at Midnight! Enjoy!

Uh oh....

First and foremost.....HAPPY 2013!!

 

 

This is going to be a wonderful year and I can't wait to see what the year will bring!

 

 

As I was going through and adding labels to old posts, I realized that I forgot to do something

very, very, very important!

 

I was very lucky to have been part of the Holly Bloggy Gift Exchange!

My secret pal was Katie of Adventures of Ms. Smith!

 

and I sent her some of my favorites!!

 

My Faves include:

 

Scentos Markers- ok seriously...I love these markers!!

My kiddos love these markers and the office supply addict in me wants to collect every last one of them!

 

To Do Lists- I write more lists than you can imagine! I love to check things off and rewrite them. Checking things off my list is my favorite!

 

Papermate Ink Joys- BEST. PEN. EVER! They make grading so much fun...no, I'm serious!

 

Post Its- I use these like crazy and anyone that has ever been to my classroom can tell you that I could be a post-it advertisement. I use them for notes on my kiddos, messages for myself, seating arrangements...the list goes on!

 

Calendar-I love calendars and always have to have one around, whether paper or electronic. It helps keep my crazy busy life a little more organized.

 

Now...

 

Jen from Jen's Kinder Kids

 



was so very generous and sent me an AWESOME package full of her favorite things! We could totally be friends because I ADORED everything that she does!!   Look at all my goodies!!  

Not included are all the yummy candy...lol!

It helped me get through the last few days of school!

 

Did Jen do an awesome job or what?!?

 

It was so much fun and if you are interested in participating next year,

check out

 

 

I can't wait to participate again next year!

  

 



New Years Resolution- Fitness!

Oh my! THIS is the one that is gonna get me! I am lining up with the amazing Deedee

from Mrs. Will's Kindergarten for the hardest resolutions to make and keep....

Fitness.

 

 

I really need a good plan for this one this year!

 

1. Eat Healthy.

I have a confession to make. I am a serial Weight Watchers member. Yes, me.

They are always so glad to see me start again...because I have done it about 40 times.

 

I love Weight Watchers. It allows me lots of flexibility and when I get into it, I lose

weight rather well! But what gets me every time is that I get too busy to take care of what I eat and fall into the easy snack/teacher's lounge/ what is in the fridge routine and anything that I have lost finds its way back.

 

But, I think that I might have an idea. Sundays are my get everything ready for school day...wash clothes, figure out outfits, check calendar.... so why not add 'make my snacks and lunches' to this list! I know right!?! Duh!!

 

This year is the year. I am going to lose that darn weight that is driving me CRAZY!

 

2. Excercise.

I am not an exercise girl. Nope not me. But I realize that I have to do something to stay healthy and I am not getting any younger! This is a two prong approach...hehehe. After talking to some of my friends, they have suggested an app called Couch to 5k and the Nike App to help me build up my stamina. I'm also going to need some new shoes and work out clothes. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

The other part to this plan is Zumba. If, and I really mean if, I can find a time that works for my daughter and my schedule, I would LOVE to join a gym and get into Zumba. Running/ walking can happen anywhere but Zumba is a little bit different. I really want to go to a class too....it seems like it would be a BLAST!!

 

 

Well, there it is. My plan for 2013...in the famous words of Nike....

 

time for me to

 

JUST DO IT!!

 

 

New Year's Resolution- Downtime!

Downtime....um, forgive but what's that??

 

I am linking up with my sweet friend Amy of Step into Second Grade with Mrs. Lemons for a new resolution....creating downtime in my very, very, very busy divorced momma life. Oh boy, right?
 

 

1. Leave work at school.

Oh my goodness. I have tried to accomplish this for all 13 years of my teaching career. Most of the time, I can get a huge portion of the work taken care of when I am working under the pressure of a deadline {procrastination is my friend}. But all the other days of the nine weeks, papers stay in my bag and I carry them from school to home and back again without even opening my bag. Between meetings, dance classes, choir practices, after school activities and well, everyday life, the papers never see the light of my nightstand. So why do I keep taking them home?

 

This year, I will grade at school. I will only take home my grade book {my teacher life line}.

Seriously, I am going to post pictures and if you see those papers and 40 lb bag making their way home...call the bloggy police!

 

2. Read More.
I read A LOT. It is one of my favorite things to do! But along with my resolution to continue my own professional learning, I need to read more for myself. I tend to do this much more during the summer, simply because I am the type of reader that will stay up until the wee hours of the night reading, not realize it, and then like to sleep in a little to make up for it. But, during the school year, this is not even an option. I need my sleep and all my energy for my daughter and my kiddos at school.

This year, I am going to read every night and use a book timer to set a reasonable time to go to sleep. I'll either read until the end of the chapter or when the timer goes off. It's worth a shot!

3. Learn how to use my camera.
I have an awesome camera Cannon T3i that I bought last February. It's the coolest thing ever and even though I am not a pro, I have caught some beautiful moments with my beloved camera.

This year, I want to learn more about how to take photos of the most precious thing in my life, my amazing daughter. I am hoping to also learn how to use my timer and tripod to get some nice shots of her and I together! I always tend to get everyone's picture {like a checklist in my head} but I always forget to ask to have someone take on of us! I gotta get better at that!

This year, I am going to learn to use my camera to capture beautiful pictures

4. Become an NFL QUEEN.
This is the first time that I have followed an entire football season. From the first preseason game to this last game of the reg season....I watched every single game! The playoffs will be awesome for my Texans and I can't wait to see them play! I even meet Arian Foster {I puffy heart} love him! I have about 5 new tshirts- all Texans and I even make my special dip for every game! My friends are already talking about tickets for next season and even Fantasy football....WOOHOO!!

This year, I am going to continue to learn more about the game and be the
BIGGEST TEXANS FAN EVER!

 

5. Blog, blog, blog!
Believe it or not blogging is a downtime activity for me. It helps me to share ideas, process through some of what I learn everyday in the classroom and most importantly, allows me to be part of an amazing group of awesome teachers that understand the highs and lows of teaching.

This year, I will blog more and have some awesome freebies
and activities to share with you!

Hey, I guess I figured out a few downtime resolutions!
2013 is going to be an awesome year!
 

 

 

It's My Birthday!! (Almost...)

 

Well....almost!  For as long as I can remember

my family and I have celebrated it on New Year's Eve!

The birthday cake and presents all presented before the magical stroke of midnight!

 

As I was making my cute little picture

(thanks Deana of Primary Punch for letting me copycat!)

 I thought what a better way to share this fun family tradition than to throw a sale for all my bloggy friends! Everything in my store will be 20% off until January 2.

 

Happy New Year and Happy Shopping!

 

 



New Year's Resolution- Professional Growth

I am linking up with one of the sweetest bloggers I know! Amanda from One Extra Degree is hosting the New Year's Resolution linky today and it is all about....professional growth!

 

I must say that this particular resolution is very important.

This is where good teachers become great teachers and great teachers become amazing teachers!

 

1. Staff Development

This year, I am going to continue to grow professional through a HUGE amount of staff development that will be offered through my district. I am grateful to be a part of an awesome district that has so many great ways for teachers to grow. I use my summer to fill up my bucket with new fresh ideas about the classroom. It's hard during the school year with dance and after school activities for my super talented and beautiful daughter.

I plan to continue to learn about meeting the needs of my GT students and my ELL students. I hope to provide more trainings for my staff about the most update strategies for ELL students and be a resource for them as we go full steam ahead into the Spring semester.

 

2. Read, Read, Read

It is my absolute passion. I LOVE to read just about anythhing that I can read! I can't tell you how many people tease me when I come into school super excited about the latest book on teaching comprehension or classroom behavior...they think I am nuts! But I am a life long learner and I get a total thrill from put what I read into action!

Here are some of the books that I plan to read and use in my classroom:

 

 

and I will be revisiting these are well:

 

 

 

3. Continue to Grow My Professional Community

I love blogging....and TpT....and all my bloggy friends that I have been so blessed to meet this year! In 2013,  I hope to continue to meet more amazing teacher bloggers and learn, share and collobrate with all of you so that I can continue to grow as a teacher, blogger and most of all friend!

 

I definitely have a LOT to learn {I will get that Facebook thingy to work!} and I can't wait to add all sorts of goodies to my blog for you all! Did you see that I actually figured out how to make the Teacher Pay Teacher widget work? That seriously took way too many attempts but it's finally there! WOOHOO!!

 

I am sure that there will be more to add as the year goes on, but this is defintely a good start!

2013 is going to be an awesome year!!

 

 

 



New Year's Resolution- Organization!!

Today I am linking up with Hope of Second Grade Shenanigans to set some goals on....organization!

 

 

I love digital files.

 

There are so many fabulous resources that I have collected throughout the years {I am a blogging and Teacher Pay Teachers addict!} and they have been saved on flash drives, hard drives, Dropbox, GoogleDocs and my computer. When I go to search for something, I search in several different places and sometime can't find the resource that I know I have!

 

So, it's time to organize.

 

This will be a huge endeavor but here's the plan:

 

Everything will be stored on my hard drive and because I am always worried that I will lose my files, Dropbox will be my back up.

 

All flash drives will be moved to my hard drive and wiped {yikes!}

 

I will rename files with a name that I can actually find.

 

Is it bad that this already gives me a little anxiety?!?

 

 

 I love to take photos.

 

Digital is great! I have thousands and thousands of pictures and just like my digital files, are saved in several different places. So I have started to download all my pictures to Shutterfly. I love that there is unlimited space{which I am sure I need} but I can access them from anywhere. It also helps that I can download my gazillion of pictures from my iPhone onto my Shutterfly using the app! Even those pesky photo stream pictures! Woohoo!

 

My goal here is to have pictured developed each month and begin to scrapbook all those beautiful digital pictures. Ok, well maybe not scrapbook. I'm too much of a perfectionist and I tend to fixate on the littlest thing...but I will definitely get them in an album!!

 

 

I love my grade book...seriously, don't laugh!

 

I have already started organizing this little beauty. The trouble here was that I needed to find a way to get my RtI paperwork in an accessible place where I can update it often. So I moved that documentation to my grade book and that worked like a charm.

 

I am a post-it note queen! Anyone that knows me would tell you I keep the company in business and they are all over the place to remind me of a million things. So, the week before school got out I started to collect my notes and work through them each day. I even have a little page to stick them on if it's a note that I need for a bit....and it's in my grade book! Yes!

 

 

I can think of a ton of other things that need to be organized. But I am going to start small and go from there! My closets at school should have made this list....haha!

 

 

Check out Hope's awesome post and the linky at Second Grade Shenanigans!