Happy Birthday/Super Bowl Sale

February 1st is my grand daughters' birthday.  Two beautiful girls born on the same day, a year apart - Irish twins.  These two bring such joy to my life.  So in honor of their birthday, both of my stores will be on sale from Friday through Sunday.

Miss Kay will be 7.

Miss M will be 6.  She gets her curls from me and she doesn't like her curls, like me, lol.  Adorable, sweet little girls that brighten up my world.

And because San Francisco is going to the Super Bowl, woo hoo - the sale will continue on Sunday.  We had to make sure that the Twins' baby shower wasn't this weekend, just in case that the 49ers went.

Tpt

and

TN

I will be adding a few things to the store tonight and tomorrow morning, like my new packet - that I LOVE.

Happy Birthday girls and GO 49er's

Obsession

I am working on a new packet for my kiddos and I am obsessed about it - all I want to do is work on it.  I don't want to eat or sleep or teach. - just finish this packet up.  Sleep is kinda of important, because when I get stuck on something - I dream about the answer.  It is kinda of cool, but then I get up extra early to work on it. 

 The first packet is done, as soon as my teaching buddies at school look at it.  I want to start it right now, but I need to finish the other 4 parts first.  Has that ever happened to you?  I keep adding little things to it and little tweaks - here and there.  I know my kids are going to love it.  I am hoping to start it on Friday. 

Tomorrow, we are having Grandparents' Day (a fun but exhausting day).  Thursday we have awards ceremonies all morning (I need to send out the reminders).  So Friday might be the special day.

Since, I can't post without a picture - here is a new one.

Three months old and has stolen my heart.  I walk in the room and he starts babbling and smiling at me.  This grandparent thing is the best, highly recommend it.

 

Small Books

I have been busy this weekend.  I took naps both days, played with the grand baby a lot and even cooked dinner both nights.  The cooking thing is huge around my house, because I never cook anymore.  I finished a lot of school goodies this weekend and got them loaded to both of my stores.  I love productive weekends.

I have been making small books for my kiddos based on facts for the holiday.  I have included vocabulary cards and a test for the grade book.  I love when I can give a quick assessment.  Below are the books that I have finished, so far.

Groundhog Day at TpT or TN

Abraham Lincoln at TpT or TN

George Washington at TpT or TN

Chinese New Year at TpT or TN

I love the clip art and the paper for the Chinese New Year book.  I asked Corinna at Surfin through Second if she would make me some special paper.  It is adorable, you have to check it out.  I am addicted to her paper and frames, I have everyone she has made.

I am almost done with February's Vocabulary Cards and Activities packet, should be posted later tonight.  I am, also, going to add the vocabulary cards to the Martin Luther King, Jr. packet - so if you downloaded the small book, look for the update soon.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Five for Friday - January 25

I am linking up with Kacey for Five for Friday.  Why do short weeks seem so much longer than a 5 day week, or is it just me??  We did get a lot of art projects done this week, which makes me happy.

1.  We read the "The Mitten" and did a little freebie activity from What the Teacher Wants.  They turned out really cute.  I used scrapbook paper for the mittens and cotton balls for the cuffs.

My kiddos underline words that they think are spelled wrong.  I love how this little one - underlined cold but didn't underline cald.  So sweet.

2.   We started our Penguin unit today.  We made these little guys from Cupcake for the Teacher.  They are in her Penguin packet.  I love all of her goodies.  They are hanging on the clothesline in my classroom.  One of my little ones told me that we should have put the scarf on BEFORE we put on the flippers.  Maybe, I should read the directions next time,  haha.

3.  We did some graphing from our Mittens, Marshmallows and Snowmen day.  I put a graph on my white board because it is magnetic.  I marked off the areas with black ribbon, backed with magnet tape.  I got a 4 x 6 brag book/photo album and cut the pages out.  Then, I added magnet tape to the back.  All I have to do is put in a 4 x 6 card or 3 x 5 and my graphing words and pictures are done.  I keep the parts in a 4 x 6 photo box, so I will have them for next year.  Super easy.

4.  We, also, read "Snowmen at Night".  My kids love this book.  I found this idea on Pinterest last year from The First Grade Parade.  They turn out so cute and my classroom is really quiet when they are working on them.  Perfect for a rainy day project.  In the writing frame, they wrote what they thought snowmen would be doing at night.

5.  Next week, we are having Grandparents' Day - so the first grade team decorated our halls with antonym mittens hanging on black yarn.  We, also, made  big snowflakes hanging down the middle of the hallway.  It looks adorable.

Oh, our lockdown drill was cancelled today because of the rain, so maybe I will be able to catch up on some sleep tonight.

Enjoy your weekend!

Lockdown Drill

We are scheduled to have a lockdown drill today during primary recess.  We always practice, but this time it seems more real to me.  We have been instructed to get in as many kids as possible within 60 seconds, then lock our doors.  The babes will be all over the playground.  They are instructed to go to the closest open classroom.  After, that point are kids know exactly what to do - they have practiced.

I have had nightmares the last 3 nights.  Looking outside and seeing kids are the playground, I am a mess.  I know we can't live in fear, but guess what this drill is making it real.  The first grade team practiced with the babes yesterday.  We got everyone of them in the building, in rooms, doors locked in 50 seconds.  We did good.  So the nightmares were so bad last night. 

I had my best sleep starting at 3 this morning, when I heard the rain and realized that the drill will probably be cancelled today.  Of course, sleeping with the little alin wrench that the principal gave me yesterday so that I could lock down our entire building, not just the rooms probably made a big difference too.  Now, our babes will be on double lock down and I will not live in fear.

Aloha Friday.

Penguin Week

We are going to be studying Penguins this week, I have found so many great things from blogs.  I will share more later in the week. 



I finished up a small book this morning for my kiddos based on Penguin Facts.  I included the missing word on vocabulary cards and included a little test.  I love when I can find ways to get a grade. 

You can find it at TpT or TN

Five for Friday

on Saturday.  I am joining Kacey for her linky party.

1.  Baby bump.  This is my beautiful daughter-in-law this last weekend.  She has the tinest little bump for being 6 months pregnant, so cute.  It is extra cute because my twin grand daughters are in there.  I can't believe how little she is, but the doctor said that the twins are doing great.  He said that one twin is measuring 13 inches already and both baby weights are good.  He took her off work this week so she can rest.

2.  I am so excited that my Dr. King freebie has had 1,300 downloads this week.  I just started my Tpt store, so this was pretty exciting for me.  My sons and hubby asked me everyday - how many now.  I love it.

3.  I was playing around on the computer and I made a digital paper.  I don't remember how I did it, but I want to make another one.  I would show it to you, but I can't remember where I saved it to - this old age thing is killing me.

4.  We had Marshmallows, Mittens and Snowmen day on Friday.  It was so much fun.  My kiddos made these little marshmallow snowmen with their 6th grade buddies.  You can read more about the day and all the activities here

5.  I finished off the week by going to the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate a co-worker's 40th birthday.  The company and dinner were great, but we did  get a little loud and had the cutest waiters.  A great way to end the week.



Marshmallow, Mittens and Snowmen

Oh my....  "It was the best day ever," according to my kiddos.  The day was full of fun activities and lots of learning going on.  First thing in the morning we completed all of our core tests.  Then, they recited their snowman poem, oral language grade.

The kiddos sorted mitten antonyms by table groups.  Each group had the same cards to match up.  When time was up, we talked about the cards that they didn't find a match for- problem solving  They were super smart.

They each got a mitten sheet.  I told each student a different word for their mittens, they came up with the antonym - decorate.  We will hang these in our room.

Small book, with antonyms.  They cut out the words and glued them in the blank.  They, also, completed some winter worksheets.

But, the best were these little darlings.  Our principal even stopped by to make her own.

We made hot chocolate and these snowmen.  I invited their 6th grade buddies to help them make them, pass out hot chocolate and just have fun.  Coolest day ever, plus I got some grades for my grade book.

You can find the plans here at TpT

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I made a little freebie book for Martin Luther King, Jr. based on facts about him.  My kids really enjoyed completing the book.  We read a book about his life.  Then we brainstormed what we would write on the blank lines of the book.  I included an assessment page, which gives me a Social Studies grade, woo hoo.

You can find it here. 

This week has been really busy and long.  I am soooo looking forward to 3 days off.  Tomorrow, we are having Marshmallows and Mitten day with the entire first grade.  It should be fun. 

Check List and Mittens

I got a lot of my list done yesterday.  I unpacked my suitcase and washed clothes (which is great, since I didn't unpack one of my suitcases from July, lol).  I smooched with baby.  I packed up Christmas stuff, kinda of.  I smooched with the baby.  I finished my Mitten Antonym mini-unit (excited about this one). I blog stalked (not on the list).  I reduced my inbox to 1/4 of the size.  I played with the baby.  I spent the evening with my parents (they fed me - so I didn't have to go to the grocery store). 

And I took a 3 hour nap, which was the best.

This morning, I put that little "New Year" blinkie button on my blog - all by myself.  I got it from Barb.  Last month, she put my Christmas blinkie on my blog for me (because I whined).  So, I needed to change it and she sent me an email to tell me how - because she is super duper nice (and she feels sorry for me).  Guess what, I did it - but I am not sure how I did it.  My eyes glazed over when she talked about the gadget thing.

Then, because I was feeling pretty good about the blinkie success thing.  I made an image for my Teachers Notebook store.  It only took me an hour to create one image - need to figure out how to do it again.

Here in my new mini unit that is in my TpT store.  It has a mitten antonym book, an assessment page and a mitten antonym center match.

Click here to find it.

Now, the best part (I think it is), since I feel successful this morning you can win this little gem.  Please be a blog follower, follow my TpT store (because I need some love) and leave me a comment that you did all of that and I will pick a winner from the comments on Tuesday night to received the mitten packet and my February calendar cards.  Thanks for stopping by.

Today's Needs and Wants

Today, I need to:

Unpack my suitcase and wash clothes

Put the Christmas tree and decorations away

Write thank you notes to my kiddos and put the presents away

Go visit my mom and dad

Clean off my dining room table of all the junk

Find my spare bedroom

Go grocery shopping, the house is empty - except for coffee and creamer

Need to go to the Post Office to get the vacation mail

Today, I want to:

Work on some new activities for my TpT store

Play with the grand baby
Work on the grand kids' Christmas stockings that I started in Hawaii

Take a nap and read

Knit my grand daughter's scarf with the really cool yarn I bought

Instead,

I am blog stalking

Trying to make my inbox smaller

Drinking another cup of coffee, since it is the only thing in the house

Thinking about crawling back in bed - to take that nap, lol

I don't think it is going to be a productive day.

Five for Friday

I am linking up with Kacey at Doodle Bugs Teaching for her Five for Friday.  Oh my gosh, it was so hard to go back to school this week.  We had 3 weeks off for Winter Break - 2 weeks for the break and 1 week of furlough days.  I was lucky enough to spend all of my break in Hawaii visiting hubby.  I missed the first day back this week, because of the airfare being so expensive.

1.  Notice the orange tag on my suitcase.  I could barely lift the suitcase up.  I am pretty sure that it was over the 50 pound limit.  The secret is having a porter weigh your luggage, lol.  There wasn't very much clothes in the suitcase, just lots of treasures that I brought home.

2.  I, seriously, missed my grandson a ton.  I wanted to fly home everyday just to kiss on him.  He grew so big when I was gone.  I have been hugging and kissing him everyday when I get home from school.  I got to play with him, all by myself, Thursday night since his mom went back to work.  Heaven.

3.  We worked on our January calendar work on Tuesday.  The kids really enjoyed it.  I missed my students a lot this break.   Sandy Hook hit me hard, like all of us.  I just wanted to let them be kids.  There were lots of hugs and laughing, this week.

4.  Next Friday, we are having a "Mittens and Marshmallows" day.  So I made an opposite book for them to work on.  I am almost done with it.

5.  We adopted this little girl.  It has been about 10 years since we have had a pet in our house.  She is adorable and super smart.  She has us wrapped around her finger.  The best part, she is already house broken. 

Have a great weekend!  I am going to sleep, play with baby, take the dog for a walk (if it warms up) and unpack my suitcase.  My hubby had the nerve to text me this morning and tell me that it was cold in Hawaii (what, 70 degrees).  Babe, it was 28 degrees this morning when I left for work - in California.  I am not feeling sorry for you.