Back To School Boost Sale!

      I have officially survived the first 5 days of school!  I know that if you are anything like me, I LOVE any help I can get during the back to school rush.  Thankfully, Teachers Pay Teachers is offering another BOOST sale!  For 1 DAY ONLY, tomorrow, my entire store will be on sale for 20% off.  Enter the code "BOOST" at checkout and get a total of 28% off, all day long!  
      Have fun shopping!!

Badge from Room 213. 

Five for Saturday...Room Reveal, Back to School and more!

      I survived!  I just finished my first week back at school for the 2014-2015 school year.  Monday we had Meet the Teacher Night, Tuesday was all day meetings, and Wednesday was our first day with our kiddos!  What a busy week! I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching (a day late) to show you a few pictures, ok maybe a lot of pictures from my week! 

1. Since Monday we had Meet the Teacher Night, I decided to start with some pictures of my classroom.  If you follow my Facebook page, you have already had a sneak peak!

2. This is my first year ever starting the year with a critter in my room.  One of our new teachers was able to get free caterpillars and eggs, so we are starting our nonfiction/life cycles integrated unit super soon.

3. How cute are these kiddos?!  Loved having the first day of school frame!

4. When I was in school, we learned cursive in second grade.  Our kiddos learn it in third grade.  They are SUPER excited to get started and then after a while the interest fades!  Do you have to teach cursive?  Our ultimate goal is that they can sign their name, however, I still feel that teaching typing would be even a greater benefit with today's technology.

5. I had to close the blinds to because it was so sunny, but I LOVE our little banner.  We did this last year for the first time.  The kids complete, for homework, an all about me banner after the first day of school.  I found this on TpT last year, so if it is yours, let me know and I will give you credit!! :)

Have you started school yet?  If not, enjoy those last few days!  Those that already started, I hope you are already having a great year!

Five for Friday- Bye, Bye Summer!

      I CAN’T believe it is already time.  Teachers start school this Monday.  We have a teacher workday on Monday, Meet the Teacher Night on Monday night, and meetings on Tuesday.  Wednesday, the kiddos come!  While I am excited for the new year to begin, I have REALLY enjoyed my summer.  This was truly the FIRST summer that I was able to do what I wanted to do ALL the time!!  It was amazing!!
      This past week, I was signed up for a few days of training, but I also made time to do some things that I enjoy.  I decided, though, that this week I would do my Five for Friday a LITTLE differently than normal.  I am going to share five things that I will miss during the school year! Head over to Doodle Bugs Teaching to see who else is linking up for Five for Friday!

1.  Trips to the beach-  This summer I made a trip down to Charlotte (where I used to live) and my friend and I went to the beach. I was hoping to make a second trip down this summer, but it didn't happen.  I don't think I will be back at the beach until the spring. 

2.  Biking and running- I know that I will work hard to keep these up during the school year, but as the days get shorter it becomes harder and harder to always get out there and I end up usually just going to the gym.  There is something about running or biking in the woods that is actually peaceful instead of just exercising.  

3.  Crafting!  I don't know about you, but I am WAY, WAY more crafty during the summer, especially because I have so much more time.  So one thing I need to try to do a little more of during the year is crafting. :)

4.  Trips WHEREVER!!  This summer I made a few trips down to Cincinnati, saw family, went to baseball games, etc.  I went up to Cedar Point and Put-in-Bay.  The point is that I was flexible to take some little trips and those were great!

5.  Ahhh The Pool- This summer I spent a lot of time READING by the pool.  I am going to have to keep reading by the pool until it closes, because I CAN'T keep staying up late reading.  I will never survive the first few weeks staying up until 11 reading.  I am planning on spending a few afternoons after school, hopefully, reading by the pool.  This is definitely something I LOVE to do during the summer.

I had 11 weeks of summer vacation and they really did help me to relax and prepare to begin fresh for a new year!  I am hoping to keep blogging as often as I had during the summer, but if during the next few weeks I am MIA, you know why!  

Monday Made It!

      I hate to say it, but this may be my last or one of my last Monday Made It posts for a while.  School starts for me next Monday and this week I have a few PD workshops I signed up for. :( I am bummed because I really do love this linky, but once school starts, my other projects start to slow down and my focus is mostly on what I need at school in the nearest future!
     In the meantime, I am linking up again with Fourth Grade Frolics for another Monday Made It!

       This week I am spot lighting two projects that weren't actually mine, but my mom's!  The first two Monday Made It projects were made by my mom, but I just had to share them!

       This past week, my mom came to visit for the day and she brought me some soup.  Ironically, she had watched The Chew last Monday when they celebrated Meatless Monday.  I had watched the same portion of the show, too!  She made a soup they had on there with squash, tomatoes, beans, etc.  We topped it with her homemade salsa, a little avocado, cilantro, and some tortilla chips.  Delicious!!

       My second project was also made by my mom!  This is a T-shirt quilt that my mom made for me from a bunch of my old t-shirts! She has been working on it for a while and while it was a TON of work, it looks awesome!  There are shirts from grade school, high school, and college.  The whole thing is backed in a fleece type fabric and it is super soft.  

      My third project was made by me!  Last weekend I went to Ikea and grabbed some white stools. White stools were a little too boring, though, so I changed them up a bit. Before putting the stools together, I used a little spray paint and Mod Podge.  I spray painted the tops with 2 or 3 coats each.  Then I printed numbers and Mod Podged them on the top.  I put numbers on them so that I could assign seats if needed.  I plan on using these at my horseshoe table for guided reading groups.  Last year, I had some kiddos with special needs and they did better in certain seats.  Also, it just eliminates time and arguments if kids always go to the same seat.  So, I am thinking of letting the kids CHOOSE a spot at my table and always go to that stool.  

      My last project is NOT finished, but it should be soon!  I am in the works of my next Cam Jansen Novel Study.  You know how much I love using Cam Jansen with my kiddos.  My newest one, soon to hit the store will be Cam Jansen and the Mystery Writer Mystery. 

       Until then, go to my TpT store and grab some of my other Cam Jansen goodies or any goodies for that matter.  The whole store is on sale at 20% and with the TpT store that means 28% off for you!  Don't miss the chance for some savings! Ready to shop?? Click HERE!!!

Back to School SALE!!

      I'm sure you have heard by now that TpT is having a HUGE BACK To SCHOOL SALE!  Who doesn't love a sale, right?? Everything in my store will be 20% off from August 4th-5th.  Knowing that a Back to School Sale was coming up, I have been browsing the stores and adding to my wish list.  I am waiting for the sale to snag those items that I have been eyeing for a while! Click HERE to head to my store and grab some products that will get your year started off well!

Have fun shopping! :)

August Currently...You Know What That Means...

      How is it possibly August already??  Just the other day it was May 23rd and we were getting out of school!  AHHH!  Well, since it is August that means it is time for the August Currently with Farley.  You know what that means?!?!  IT means that back to school season is here.  Here it goes!

  
Listening: I am listening to my stomach growling while I type!  I am the kind of person that when I wake up, I need to eat something right away, even if it is something little. I have been eating a lot of eggs with lots of veggies, this summer and trying not to eat cereal so much. 

Loving:SUMMER!  What? People love summer?!?! Haha!  This was the FIRST EVER Summer that I did NOT work!  It was fabulous.  I think I could get used to this whole not working thing.  I did work on my TpT products and blogging, but I didn't actually get another job, which was amazing and I am already looking forward to doing the same thing next year!

Thinking:I hate making appointments, calling places, running errands, etc. once school starts.  Our school starts late, so by the time we get out and I get a few things done in my classroom it is usually after 5 pm.  I have gotten a TON of things accomplished this summer, but I have a few more things I should try to do this summer before summer is actually over!

Wanting: I had a couple wonderful massages this summer and one awesome pedicure. I am thinking that I want to get another pedicure and a massage before the hustle and bustle of school begins!

Needing:Summer to last just a little bit longer.  This coming week is my last week of summer vacation and I have to go to two or three days of PD.  I do get additional credits through a university for this course, but I was bummed to see that it is during my last week of freedom.  Hopefully, this last week is relaxing and SLOW!

1st Day for you and the kids: The first day for teachers is August 11th and the kiddos come on August 13th.  I only have ONE more week of break. :(  Good news though, is that my school gets out before Memorial Day, which is AMAZING!  I would rather start early and get out early. I am usually ready to go back with all of the back to school excitement, but am eager for summer once May hits!

Five for Friday- August Already?!?

    I CAN’T believe it is August already!  This summer went SO fast! Today I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday.  

1.I was extremely lucky to have the chance to meet up with these awesome Teacher Bloggers last weekend!  I have never gone to a meet up before and I really enjoyed this!  Em from Curious Firsties and Jenny from Luckyfrog's Lilypad hosted this meet up. 

2. What can be better than fresh new school supplies!  I have table tubs that hold supplies like crayons, glue sticks, etc. for kiddos that need extra supplies or colors they do not have.  These are ready to go!

3. I spent a little time this week, sitting by the pool, cutting out my new book bin labels. I downloaded these from TpT and I think they will be perfect for my classroom library that I reorganized this week.  

4. I am mad that I didn't take any pictures  but my school had a staff bonding retreat for the afternoon yesterday and we went on a canoe trip!  It was SO MUCH FUN!  We had an absolute blast!  Can't wait for the next adventure!!

5.   I am signed up for my FIRST EVER SLANT Box over at Lessons With Coffee! I am super excited to get to partake in this activity.  I have seen people writing about it and now I get to send and receive one of these awesome boxes! 

       On a sad note...I only have 1 Friday left before school starts.  I am enjoying my summer SO, So, So much and I am NOT ready for it to end!  Happy Friday!