Twinkle

Today was an exciting today in my classroom! We received a special delivery from the North Pole!

The package so cold and the kiddos loved it! They all had to feel it!

 

This is my first Classroom Elf. A sweet teacher won an elf in a giveaway and asked if I would like it for my Kinders! Uh...yes! I have done it with my daughter but not with a class. I LOVE that I got this opportunity because those kids that don't have one or have never heard of it...they were SUPER excited! I mean...look at that face with the hands over her mouth!

 

I read the story to the kiddos!

And then...we all felt her before we gave her a name. 

 

They all came up with some cute names. Rosy was my favorite. Shocker - There was an Elsa, but alas....Twinkle it is! (Which I like too!)

 

So our Elf adventures begin. It should be a challenge keeping up at home and at school. My plan is for the elf to disappear each day after I leave (I have some connections) and the not return until after my little girl goes to the gym for announcements! Whew!!! It's gonna be a LONG month...but a FUN one! I'm SUPER excited!!!!

Currently and Sale Continued

It's December! My favorite month of the year! I'm linking up with Farley for her Currently series!

Listening - The Voice...Need I say more????

Loving - Look at these reindeer I'm making for an upcoming craft show at my school. Eek! I die from cuteness. Tutorial found here.

Thinking - I have GOT to get on this Christmas shopping!

Needing - I need nothing. Truly thankful!

Giving - We are working on our Santa letters this week. They will go with this elf we make from Jennifer at First Grade Blue Skies. Here is the template we will be using for our letters. Click below to grab!

Graphics from Creative Clips

Click here if you want to link up with Farley's Currently series.


    Also, don't forget...tomorrow is the last day for the TPT sale! My entire store is 20% off. Use the code TPTCYBER to get an additional 10% off!  

  Oh. And I have to leave you with this. I was super excited to see my kiddos today. I honestly missed them over the break. Especially this little sweetie. Yup. It was THAT kind of day! ;)

THANKFUL and SALE

I know I'm a little late to the party, but it is still November so I want to share what I'm thankful for.
I  am so thankful for this little family of mine. I am very blessed I know.

I am thankful for my relationship with my parents. They are the best. I am so thankful for them and what they do for us. We took a weeklong trip to Disney all together all the time and not one bad word was said. (Well...okay so hubby may have been cursing me for constantly saying "HURRY! We are gonna miss our fast pass!!")

I am thankful for a job I LOVE. There are not many people who say they love their job! I do. I love my kiddos, my school, my teaching partners.

I am thankful for my warm home and car. I am thankful for my friends. I am thankful for TPT. It has been such a blessing to us (and my shopping habits). I am thankful for you. Readers who are supportive and amazing!

Okay...now that I am caught up we can continue to December. I LOVE Christmas and everything it holds! My little girl's Elf comes tomorrow, we begin her advent calendar, and this week my class will have their first elf experience! YAY!

I am, of course, participating in the TPT Cyber Sale. My entire store will be on sale Monday and Tuesday - 20% off. Enter the code TPTCYBER and you will save an additional 10%. That equals 28% off (you can do the math...I just teach Kindergarten!).

(Thanks to Amy Lemons for this ADORABLE button!)

Here is what you can grab and stock up on from my store!!

Happy Shopping!

Turkey Fun

We did these ADORABLE turkeys from Doodlebugs teaching.Oh. Did I mention it is a freebie???

I swear...they are PRECIOUS! I followed her advice and had a bag for each student with all of their pieces. They cut them out and put them back in their bag. Then they assembled. Do you die from cuteness?

This is my sweet baby's turkey!

 

Look at that hat! I love it!

 

Hee. Hee. No neck! I love.

And. Well. You know this kid! :) Makes me smile!

We also completed our large turkey in the hallway. You can read more about that here and get the note to send home. (Maybe for next year!)

 

What have y'all been up to lately?

 

Snow Day #1

Yes. We had a snow day. In November. We got 5 inches actually...which is a lot for us. Luckily it was very powdery and the sun was out today so we are going back tomorrow! (Even though it is going to be below 10 degrees in the morning.) I know for some of you up North that is nothing. It's pretty cold for us. In November.
I love a good snow day (preferably in December, January or February) and I got a lot accomplished today. I got my Christmas tree up (don't hate) and played Christmas music all day. That definitely got me in the mood to start planning Christmas in the classroom!
For now though, we are all about the turkey in the classroom! We've been gobbling up some good Thanksgiving Fun.

Number Turkeys

(And yes...I correct that mistake below)

 

How Many More? 

 Indian Vests for our Thanksgiving Vest

Stamp a Feast

Listening Center - Run, Turkey, Run!

And we did the cutest stinkin' turkey's ever. I'll have to grab pictures tomorrow but I swear...I love 'em!

Need a quick reader to do with your kiddos this week? Grab this freebie in my store!

November Currently

Hello. Lordy. Where did the month go? I just cannot seem to get a good blogging schedule going! I don't know about y'all about but last week just about killed me! Red Ribbon Week and Halloween...WHEW! That makes for 1 LONG week! We survived and had a blast. I'm ready for a more calming (and shorter) week! I'm linking up with Farley today.

 

Listening - To my little on watch DocMcStuffins

Loving - The time change. I know I'm weird but I LOVE when we fall back. I love that we gain another hour in the day and I am so excited that it won't be pitch black when we leave for school now. I know it gets dark earlier (but I secretly enjoy that). I won't feel as bad in my pj's at 5:30!

Thinking - I have GOT to finish my November Write the Room today. #1 because we need it in class and #2 I may or may not have not finished my October unit until October 26. Gotta get ahead.

Wanting - I've been on the look for a good pair of black boots that I really like...within my budget. I've not found them but I'm going on a shopping trip next weekend for my birthday!

Needing - To Diet and get serious! Y'all...it's bad.

Reading - Nothing. I LOVE to read but I really don't read a book unless I am on vacation or it is the summer. If I get into a good book I cannot put it down. That means I am up reading a book at 1am on a school night when I am normally in bed by 9:30. 

I hope you will link up with Farley too!

Fall Break, An Update, and More

Well, to say I had a relaxing fall break would be a lie. It was nothing but relaxing, but it was FUN! We went to Disney...our first time as a family! Blast! It was hot and we packed it all in. We got home Friday to the chilly weather, but I am loving it. Fall is my favorite season by far.
The week before we left, we did our apple unit. We had a fun filled apple day on Friday. (Unfortunately, my camera with the pictures is at school!)

This week we are starting our pumpkin unit! Lots of fun to be had! One thing we will definitely be starting is our Count of Halloween unit! I have updated this with SUPER cute clipart!

This is a Halloween themed counting book you can use as a craftivity book or a coloring book. The kiddos LOVE to work on this all month then sing it to the parents at the Halloween party! Want this? Head on over to my Facebook page where I am having a giveaway that ends tonight at 9 CST.

Math Center love!

I cannot believe my fall break is in 2 weeks. Just 2 weeks! Where does time go. We have been in school since August 6th so we are in a good routine and things are just humming along nicely. I love my class this year. It is funny how every year I think there is no way I will love this years class as much as last years class. I'm wrong. Every year. They are just precious!
We do literacy centers in the morning and math centers in the afternoon. They love both, but they especially love math centers. I have 12 math centers and they visit each once during the week. (Three centers 4 X a week.) I don't have a "meet with me" math group, which allows me to just rotate around and help those who need it. Today I just watched as they did their thing. It warms my heart so much! Here they are in action.

Writing the Room

 

All About 10...with the watches! My kids LOVE these watches!!!!! I'm so glad I have them for numbers to 20!

 

Ordering Numbers from least to greatest

Unscrambling number words

 



 

 

 

We have loved Doodlebugs Color Word unit. This is our last week using it!

Most of these units are from my Number Fun 1-10 unit, which is one of my best sellers!

We have learned numbers 1-10 in our Math in Focus curriculum and are moving on next week!

Currently September

How is it already September? I'm not complaining. Once school starts summer is over for me so I am READY for Fall. My FAVORITE season! I'm linking up with Farley for her Currently linky party!

LOVING - I sooo enjoyed this weekend. It rained most of the weekend so I did a lot of relaxing!

WANTING - I'm dying to get my fall decorations out. Hubby says it's too early. (I think he is in denial that boating season is over and it's September!) Fall is my FAVORITE season.

NEEDING - I feel like I say this every Currently...but I gotta get serious about my diet. It's out of control!

3 TRIPS - I'm dying to go to Vegas...mainly for I Teach K and not to gamble! :)  Would love to go to Maine and Hawaii. Maine in the fall to look at houses. Doubt I can do the plane trip to Hawaii...I don't like to fly!

I hope you will link up too!!!

TPT Boost Sale

Let me tell you how excited I am that TPT is having a ONE DAY Boost Sale. You see.....the first Back to School Sale was my 1st and 2nd day of school. Guess who COMPLETELY missed the sale. Yup! That would be me! I am ready to empty my cart!!!!

I will be participating in the sale. My entire store will be 20% with an additional 10% if you use BOOST at checkout!

(Thanks to The Printable Princess for the button!)

 

Here are a few of my units you can grab!!!

 

 

Hurry!!! It is only for 1 day!!! I cannot forget this one! :)

Classroom Library

I am so excited to finally reveal my classroom library. Granted...it's not completely done but enough that the kiddos don't know the difference and it is usable. I could not have completed this library without the help of Lakeshore Learning. They sent me a set of their Connect and Store Book Bins...6 total in primary colors (the colors of my classroom)!

 

These were JUST what I needed to start my classroom library. When I got the box I thought "How on earth would I need that big of a box for the book bins?"

 

 

Well..it's because the bins are such a great quality and are big!

 

The best part...they connect together. I have so many of these that do not and they always tip over!

 

This year I created a classroom library for my kiddos. I used to just have baskets of books for the kinders to read when they finished their work. This year..I have Read to Self as a center and I took all of my classroom books and leveled them by genre. I also took my little readers and sorted them by Guided Reading level. These bins came in SO HANDY when created my library. They are the middle row of bins. I am definitely going to purchase another set for the bottom row instead of the hodge podge ones I have.

 

Here is a closer look. LOVE!

 

The best part...Lakeshore Learning is having a Back to School sale through August 31st! These Connect and Store Book Bins are only $29.50! They have TONS of other things on sale for 20% off and have free shipping if you spend $79! Happy Shopping!