SUPER Giveaway

Hey everyone so I have a great giveaway for you. Not because of New Years, but because I reached 100 followers! I know it isn't as impressive as Kristin's 1,000, but I am still very proud of myself! So I decide to giveaway something a little different.....a handmade wreath! You will be able to customize it to your liking. Here is what one looks like:

This is one I made for my classroom, but if you are the winner I can make it for whatever you want and in whatever colors! Here's how to win it:

1.Follow my blog and leave a comment saying you are a follower.
2. Blog about my giveaway and leave me 2 comments saying you gave me a shout out!

Make sure to leave your email on your comments so I can reach you if you are my winner. I will only be having one winner this time, since this is such a GREAT prize. You will have until Thursday at 9:00 pm. I will announce the winner Friday. I thought it would be a great treat for someone their first week back from break!

Also I re-uploaded my freebie for Valentine's Day. I had a misprint on it. If you have already downloaded it here is the fixed copy and if you haven't yet please be my guest!

Click Here!!

Also as promised I have pictures of my crafting organization unit I talked about in a previous post! All of the containers are from Micheal's and took a LONG time to put together, but they were totally worth it.

I used the color scheme black, white, and gray. A lot of the small organizer I got from Target in the dollar section. My favorite part are the glass jars I got from Michael's for 2 bucks and I made them look cute with ribbon!

I hope everyone has a SAFE and HAPPY New Years tonight!

How I Spent My Winter Vacation Linky Party

Over at Clutter-Free Classroom they are having a Linky Party and of course I had to be apart of it!



The question at hand is: How did you spend your winter vacation???

I am a list kind of girl so I have made a list of all the things I have done over break:

1. Celebrate Christmas with my loving family
2. Cleaned out our basement
3. Blogged
4. Organized my cabinets in my classroom
5. Went on LOTS of date nights with my hubby
6. Blogged
7. Organized all my craft stuff at home (I will post pictures within the next few days!)
8. Took down my decorations and "put the house back together"
9. Blogged
10. Cleaned the WHOLE house
11. Graded papers
12. Did report cards
13. Blogged
14. Took my puppy to get groomed
15. Shopped until I dropped
16. Did the laundry
17. Made outfits for next week (Yes I go back on Tuesday!!!)

and.....BLOGGED! I guess you could say I spend most of my time organizing something and blogging! Two things I love to do!

Organized and GREAT Freebie

Some of your are going to gasp when you hear where I was yesterday......SCHOOL! Yes I went up to school and organized, organized, and did more organizing! I decided it was time to organize all my cabinets. I am constantly organizing the kids stuff, but my stuff gets thrown to the side. The first thing I organized was my personal books. I bought some cheap file organizers and some cute paper. Here is how they turned out:

Then I organized all my craft stuff and extra items, like pencils, glue, erasers. I bought black containers that were stack-able and some white labels.

I feel so much better now that I got all of that done! Now when I go back on Tuesday I can focus on planning some great lessons for my kids!

Alright, drum roll please.....Here is a Valentine's Day Syllable Word Sort. And guess what it is free! Click Here!!

Enjoy your freebie! Today I will be organizing all my craft stuff at home. My WONDERFUL hubby got me a bunch of really cute organizers from Michael's and spend 3 hours putting them together last night! Opps didn't realize it would take that long, but you know there was no way I could have put all of them together. I am construction handicap!

11 in 11 Linky Party

Oh man so I am breaking blogging code, by making two posts in one day, but I just saw another linky party that Kristin and Hadar are having and I HAD to participate!

11. Favorite movie you watched
My favorite movie in 2011 was Bridesmaids! I am all for funny movies and this one definitely hit the spot!

10. Favorite TV series
My favorite TV series is Tori and Dean! I looooove their show and I can't get enough of Tori Spelling. She is too funny and super cute.

9. Favorite restaurant
This is an easy one... Houston's on the Plaza. My husband and I go there for all of our special occasions. My favorite entree is the Hawaiian Rib-eye...yummy!Here is a picture of the Plaza where it is at!

8. Favorite new thing you tried
My favorite new thing I have tried is BLOGGING! I have totally enjoyed my blogging experience so far. I have made so many new friends and I love sharing ideas with all of you! Thank you for being so supportive and kind!

7. Favorite gift you received
My new rose-gold Micheal Kors watch that Santa brought me! :)

6. Favorite thing you pinned
I have not actually starting pinning, but I definitely look at pinterest all the time! I need to take the time to sit down and start some boards. Here is a picture of something that I found that I totally want to make for my kids!

5. Favorite blog post
My favorite blog post was my place value one! I found this activity on the Inspired Apple and my kids loved it.

4. Favorite accomplishment
I am currently working hard on my masters. It has caused me to have long nights on homework, but I will be done in December of 2012. I am excited to be working towards my masters, but it is definitely A LOT of work!

3. Favorite picture
A bachelorette party for one of our friends at school!

2. Favorite memory
All the fun times I have had with my family and friends! I love spending time with them. They all mean so much to me!

1. Goal for 2012
My goal for 2012 is to continue to love learning and become a better teacher. The more time I spend blogging and reading I feel my horizons growing as an educator. I think it is important for teachers to continue to learn themselves. The best teachers are the ones who never stop learning and growing.

Top 3 Linky Party

Ok so I am a little embarrassed to show my top three posts, because they are pretty low compared to all my other bloggy friends. But I guess I still need to remember I have only been blogging for about 4 months. Here it goes...

Giveaway! Check it Out!
Dec 20, 2011, 31 comments
272 Pageviews

You know you are a "REAL" teacher when...
Dec 26, 2011, 7 comments
82 Pageviews

WINNERS!
Dec 23, 2011, 5 comments
56 Pageviews

Head on over to Fern's blog and linky up with your top three posts!



Today I am very excited to be going to lunch with my best friend from High School. She is a fellow teacher and we love sharing different ideas or things that are going on in our classroom!

You know you are a "REAL" teacher when...

All you get for Christmas is stuff that deals with teaching and school! :) It seems like every year around the holiday time I just need a million things for school. So what better way to get them all you ask... ask Santa for them! Here are some of the few things I got for school/teaching!

Dry erase makers, who doesn't need them this time of year. All of mine are dried up and in the trash can!

I can't write with anything else now! I loooove my sharpie pens! If you haven't tried them I would highly recommend you do.

The next two things were more of a want then a need, but they will still go to good use!

A new bag to carry all my "junk" as my husband says!

And a new watch so we can be on time. Us teachers always are aware of the the time! I think it has become embedded in my brain to look at the clock ever 15 minutes.

Santa was definitely good to me this year! This is only my fourth day off from school and I am still in exhaustion mode, so I think I am going to stay in my sweats all day and lounge. I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

Survey Survey Survey!

I have seen this survey on several blogs and I had to fill it out! So here goes...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I prefer to wrap! It was a tradition for me to help my mom wrap presents when I was younger! But of course I did not wrap any presents from Santa! :)

2. Real tree or artificial?
Growing up we always had a real tree, but I think that it is part of the reason we all have allergies now! My husband and I have an artificial tree now. It is very much hassle free!

3. When do you put up the tree?
Usually the weekend before Thanksgiving! I like to have my tree up for Thanksgiving, because it puts people in the holiday mood when they come over!

4. When do you take the tree down?
It depends on whenever I have time. Sometimes I get it done before we come back from break, but other years It is a couple of weeks after.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Yuck, yuck, and more yuck!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
A silver bell. My parents had read us Polar Express and then Santa brought my brother and I both a silver bell. I totally still have it!

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
I do not have a nativity scene. My parents have one that I adore, but I haven't ever found one that I love and was worth buying.

8. Hardest person to buy for?
All the boys in our family! They are all so picky and particular!

9. Easiest person to buy for?
My mom! She is my best friend and I know she will like anything that I get her.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
MAIL.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
I have gotten some pretty *special* things from Secret Santa people at work. I won't mention what it was, but all I got to say is that is was *special*.

12. Favorite Christmas movie?
Elf of course! SANTA!!!!!!! I KNOW HIM!!!!! :)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
As soon as possible! I do not mess around with Christmas shopping!

14. Ever recycled a present?
No, who would ever do that??? ;)

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
My mom's seven layered jello! Yes people SEVEN layers! It takes her all day to make, but it is totally worth it!

16. Clear lights or colored lights on a tree?
Clear lights. I have all white, silver, and gold ornaments on my tree. Colored would look a little tacky with them.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Anything for N sync's Christmas CD.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home?
We stay home. Most of our family is here in town! I would love to travel one year and go somewhere warm to celebrate the holidays!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Hmmmm only if I sing the song!

20. Angel or star on top of the tree?
Neither! I have a bow on the top of all of my trees.

21. Open the presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
Christmas Eve with my hubby, but Christmas morning with my family.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
The shopping lines! That is why I start Christmas shopping in the summer!

23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color?
Every year growing up my parents would give me a Disney Princess ornament to go on my small tree in my room. My mom has saved them all and I hope to one day give them to my daughter!

24. What do you want for Christmas?
A new watch! I rely on that thing so much at school! And all my watches have to coordinate with my outfits duh!


I hope everyone has a great Christmas!

WINNERS!

I am here to announce the winners of my giveaway! So I am very unconventional when it comes to most things so instead of letting the computer choose the winners I had my hubby pick 3 numbers between 1 and 31. Those lucky ladies are now my winners! (He liked being involved, maybe a little too much!)

First is.........Holly over at Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade!



Second is..............Heather over at Swinging through Second Grade!

Last but not least is..............Jennifer at First Grade Blue Skies!



Congratulations! I will send out your new math unit first thing tomorrow morning!

On another note I would like to thank Leanne over at Spend a Day in Second Grade and Kim at The Adventures of a First Grade Teacher for giving my the Liebster Award! Thank you both so much for thinking of me and my blog!

So I am FINALLY out of school and what a day it has been...2 trips to the Good Will and about 15 trash bags later out unfinished part of our basement looks SUPER! It was one of our holiday break goals to go through it all and well we did, but I am exhausted! I wanted to share a few things we did this week at school:

We made symmetry folders! We cut out different shapes and then folded them. The kids were able to visually see the different lines of symmetry. I got the shapes off of Super Teacher Worksheets!

We also wrote stories about "if tomorrow was a snow day I would...." The kids loved writing these and of course I had to use a snow globe for their drawings! I have seen so many cute snow globe writing ideas lately and I was totally on the bandwagon!

And in the Christmas spirit I wanted to show off the wreath I made to match our tree! I had gotten the material from Holiday Mart and I finally got around to making it! I am actually pretty obsessed with it! I think I want one for every holiday!

Well that is enough for now. My hubby is begging me to get off so we can go see the new Mission Impossible movie! We are both exhausted from cleaning the basement and need some down time. My winners, be looking for your new math unit tomorrow morning!

Giveaway! Check it Out!

Hey everyone! First of all I wanted to say thank you to all my new followers and all your sweet comments! Second I have a giveaway! I have created a Winter Math Unit that I will be giving away to not just one, not just two, but THREE people!

How do you get it you ask?
1. follow my blog
2. post a comment on my blog
3. write about my giveaway

You can leave a comment for each of these items! :) Please leave your email, in case I need to get a hold of you.

The Unit has an even and odd sort, patterns, story problems, money, and telling time! It will be great for when we finally have to come back from winter break! You have until Thursday at 10:00 (Kansas Time) to get in on this GREAT giveaway action!

Ok so besides the giveaway I thought I would post something about school. Erika asked about my blend and digraph hand motions so here it is!

First for blends we say "a consonant blend is two consonants blended together." We start with two fingers up then we push them together as we are saying "blended together." I made a teammate put her fingers up for me to take a picture. Please pardon the finger nail polish!

For digraphs we do something similar. We say "a consonant digraph is two consonants that make one sound." You could also do this for vowel digraphs. My kids love saying these and I definitely think that it has really helped them!

Finally Kristin over at Ladybug Teacher Files has come GREAT posters for blends and digraphs! Go over and check out her blog. Here it is!

I am so excited about my giveaway! Spread the word to all of your friends and lets make it great!

A 2nd MAJOR Award

Ok so my family likes Christmas Story what can I say. I am very honored to receive the Liebster Award from Jill over at



I know some of you are still complaining that I don't have a button, but I can't figure out how to make one. I messed around with it the other night and I had no luck. If anyone would like to help me I could greatly appreciated it! I have a button now!!! Woohoo! Thanks to Holly for recommending Leslie at Kindergarten Works! She made me a button! I will forever be grateful to her and all the amazing blogs friends I have made!



Alrighty here is the fun part, I get to pass the award on to other blogs!

First up is Jen over at Teachers Cauldron! She is super sweet and is very creative!
Gooooo Jen!

Denise over at 2nd Grade Ponderings has great freebies! I just found her blog and I love the place value activity she currently has on her blog! She hasn't made a post in a while, but I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!



I hope everyone has a great week of break or at school. Mine will be at school. Woohoo I am so excited!

P.S. Erika I did not forget your request about the blends/digraph motions. Look for them on Monday or Tuesday and maybe there will be a GIVEAWAY PRESENT also! Wink wink!

Currently First Timer and Sad Story

Hey so I found that over at



Farley is doing a currently. I have never seen or particapted in one of these before, so I am a first time "currently person." Here is goes:

Leanne over at Spend a Day in 2nd Grade is a fellow Kansas-an and I love reading her blog! She is very creative and super sweet! Click here to see her blog!

Ok so that was the fun part of my blog, but here is the sad part...

A family at our school house burnt down this past week. The Fire Marshall said it was unsafe to go back in, therefore they have lost everything. Our school is collecting donations for the family this week. I definitely went straight to Walmart on my way home and spend almost 100 dollars for them. I can't even imagine coming home for school one day and my house being gone. I would be devastated! My heart and prayers goes out to the family!

Holidays Around the World

We have been learning about Holidays Around the World, like I said before and here are some pictures of what we have been doing!

This is a project that we did when we talked about Italy! I read the students the Legend of Old Befana and they loved it! They couldn't believe that a "witch" delivers kids presents, they all thought I had the wrong holiday.

When we talked about Mexico we made poinsettia wreathes. Many of my students have seen these types of flowers at the store, so they were able to make good connections. I told them that it is a tradition in my family that my dad gives my mom a poinsettia plant each year around the holiday time.

Here are our stockings for England. The students thought it was funny that children in England left out real stockings, not like the ones we buy at the store. And they of course loved the story I read to them about Boxing Day. They were fascinated!

This is on my "bulletin board" out in the hall and yes I have glass doors and not a real bulletin board. I made a map of the world and have been putting up a picture and small write-up after we talk about a country. The students can then visualize all the places we have been talking about.

Alrighty I know Erika asked me to share my "corny" song and hand motions that I teach my kids for digraphs and blends! I promise Erika I will take pictures of my kids this week doing it and put it on my blog so be on the look out! Well...I have training tomorrow so it should be a mellow day.