Five for Friday

It is Friday, woo hoo.  I am linking up with Kacy for Five for Friday.

1.  On Monday and Tuesday, we had fall weather in California.  Leaves on the ground with kids playing and throwing the leaves.

 But, by Friday we were eating Popsicles to keep up with heat.  Crazy weather.

2.  One of my little guys made the most amazing thing with playdough.  He is 4 years old.  It is two birds on top of a cake that he made.  I think I know his future.  Wow!

 3.  I buy most of my yarn  from a person in Colorado.  She hand dyes all her yarn.  Every summer, she has a Summer Love Contest - she picks 4 to 5 pictures then dyes them in yarn.  She picked my picture this summer.  On the left is a picture, I took, of one of my dad's artichokes in bloom and the right is the picture of the yarn that she dyed.  I am going to knit a shawl with my yarn.

4.  I know a lot of you have been back to school for a couple of weeks or are going back this next week.  I wanted to show you what my classroom looks like.

The cubbies and the kids' tables are bare.  So much work to do.

All that stuff at the back of the room needs to be put away.  Bulletin boards need border and goodies.  But, I don't have to do it.  The new teachers rotating into my room have to get the room ready.  Because, I packed up my room and I am starting my vacation.  I, already, taught my first two months of school - I teach at a year round school.  So, I have the months of September, January and May off.

5.  I am heading here.

I am heading to the island of palm trees, beaches, water, mai tais and my hubby.  Now, I just need to pack.

I hope you have a great weekend.

Saturday Snapshots

I am linking up with Michelle for Saturday Snapshots.  I am a day late this week, but yesterday I spent the day in the car.  I drove two hours for a family baby shower, three hours for the baby shower and three hours home in traffic.  I despise driving, especially in traffic.

I didn't take any photos of my classroom....none.  We had our art program on Friday and I forgot my camera.  I guess I am gearing up for my month break, woo hoo.

Did you see the full moon on Monday?  I love this picture and I was super excited to get it.

I love my morning coffee.  I quit drinking coffee for a couple of months, but morning didn't seem the same.  I get up at 3:30, so I can do school work or be creative.  This is my newest project.

Every Tuesday, I pick up an organic food basket from local growers.  It is a reasonable price and the veggies and fruits are so yummy.  This last week, I got a container of figs.  I have never tasted figs before.  Oh my gosh, they were so good.  I ate them with some cheese.  I need to figure out some recipes for them.

My grandson turned 10 months, yesterday.  I can't believe how fast the time has gone by.  We are busy planning his first birthday party, already. 

I hope you have a great week.  I teach until Friday, then I have a month off.

 

Prayers

Please say a prayer for some of the teachers at my school.  They need emotional healing. Last year, three teachers lost their husbands. They are trying to function without their life partners.  One of them was killed on a horrible accident, she hasn't returned yet

On Sunday, my BFF's grandma passed away. On Monday, a teacher's young nephew passed away after a 19 month battle. At this very moment, my other BFF's husband is in surgery to remove two large lumps in his throat. They suspect cancer.

These people need healing and a blanket of love wrapped around them.

Thank you 

Color Sort Freebie

I just finished my Color Word and Picture Sort.  I posted it as a freebie and you can find it here.  It goes with my Color Books, but you don't need them to do this activity. 

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.  I think I am going to do some quilting.

Color Books

I, finally, put the finishing touches on my Color Book packet.  It is a series of 11 student small books, one for each color.  Plus, a full page teacher/class reading book.

You can find it here.  They are on sale for the next few days.

This is the teacher book sample and the smaller book is the student book, two on a page.

After, we did their small books - we completed the Color, Trace, Find page from Babbling Abby's Color Me Kindergarten packet for each color.  She has a lot of ideas in the packet.

We graphed our favorite color.  I can't find where I got the adorable crayon idea, I believe it was a freebie.  The kids' crayons are Melonheadz clip art.  My little ones enjoyed their first experience at making books and felt very successful.

I am working on a color sort for a center, hopefully, I will have it done this afternoon or I just might take a nap instead.

Five for Friday - August 16

I am linking up with Kacey for Five for Friday.  I can't believe how fast the week goes in Kinder.  Friday comes in a blink of an eye.

We have a new principal, this year, who we all love.  This is my truck parked in his spot, so much closer to the front of the school.  At staff meetings, he has a raffle if you are on time - passes out some food certificates and his parking spot for the month.  I didn't, actually, win the spot - but a friend did and she is off track this month.  So, she gave it to me.  Love it.

My little ones get to play with gears, blocks, playdough and free time.  They are having fun using their imagination and I am loving every minute of watching them use it.

My dad has an amazing garden.  This is one of four huge pumpkins growing in his backyard.  I couldn't believe how many vines there are in his garden.

My granddaughter's Kinder teacher made the most amazing scrapbook with her kids.  This puppy is over 4 inches thick, filled with lots of love.  I borrowed it so I could take pictures of the pages, amazing.  My grand babe drew this self portrait at the beginning of Kinder, super proud of her drawing skills.

Last Saturday, I went on a wine tasting boat tour - so much fun.  They took us by these sea lions napping on a dock.  There was a total of 5 of them.  This big guy rolled his head at me, "Yes, may I help you."  It was so funny.  You can't see the houses but to the left is John Wayne's old house and to the right is Nicholas Cage's house (which is gutted down to the structure - kinda creepy looking).

I'm off to take two more grand daughters school shopping, wish me luck.

Monday Make It - August 12

I am linking up with 4th Grade Frolics for the last Monday Make-It of the summer.  Insert pouty face.  I love looking at every one's projects.

I bought a few of the $1 pocket charts from Target, just because they were $1.  I had no idea what I was going to do with 8 pocket charts, in pretty colors.

Then, in the middle of the night - I had an idea.  I hate when that happens.  I was up at 3, just to make this chart.

I made smaller pockets so it would look like a ten frame.  I was talking to a co-worker and I thought this would be easier to visualize for my little ones than the 3 pockets with the straws.

I used black thread so it would look more like a ten frame.  Then I made these cute little cards to add to it.  We were working on ones today and the kids totally got it.

Well, I am going to check out what everyone else has been making this last week.

My Brain

When I was younger, I could remember every appointment, every child's homework assignment/due date, every grocery item, etc. that we needed.  Now, not so much - I have to write everything down, sometimes twice.  Then I forget where I put the list, geez.  My husband kept saying "make a list", that is because he is a person that keeps a pocket notebook and writes everything down.

So the last couple of months, I have been writing things down.  I got a cute EC life planner, and started using these Compostion books for notes.

I love them, they are just the right size and fit in my purse - even with my big camera.  They are cute in a teachy sort of way.  I have different notes in different books, so I would grab the wrong one and still not have what I needed.  I needed to make them cuter.  So I came up with this.

I saw this adorable fabric at the quilt store and I had to have it.  I am not a yellow person, I can't wear it because of my coloring.  But, this fabric was singing to me.  I made a cute little cover for my notebook and in this book is my blogging ideas, TpT ideas and all the ideas from Monday Make-it or anything that other bloggers have shared.  This way I am not going through a billion pieces of paper or 5 other notebooks trying to find exactly what I am need.  I feel more paper organized.

I am taking a little break and heading to my parents' for a BBQ - before their Alaska Cruise (jealous).  So, I will be spending the afternoon with my grand babes, so excited.  Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

Saturday Snapshots - August 10

I am linking up with Miss Nelson for Saturday Snapshots, she takes the most adorable pictures of her nieces.  She has another giveaway going on, if you link up today with The Swirl Girl.  She makes the cutest door hangers - I NEED a few.

Bath time for my adorable granddaughters.  They are getting so big, I get to spend the afternoon with them tomorrow.

Dueling cameras.  They were both sitting on my table and I thought it was funny.  I, always, carry one of them with me.  I should be an advertisement for Canon cameras.  I have had 4 different Canon cameras, I keep upgrading.

A project for my classroom, that I am super excited about it.

A project for my granddaughter.  I love the mustache and polka dot, but not the other two - looks like I will be going to the quilt store today for more fabric.

There is some major construction going on, by work.  They are making a new road.  When I was stuck in traffic, I saw these huge metal pipes discarded on the side of the road.  I whipped on my camera and took a picture, it seemed so sad to me.

I am going to hang out with some friends this afternoon.  We are going on a wine tasting harbor cruise, should be a blast. 

Five for Friday

I am linking up with Doodle Bugs for Five for Friday.  I can't wait to see what everyone has been doing this week.

This was Week #5 for me, 3 more weeks and I am on break.  I know most of you are just starting back, so I am a little jealous that you had a summer. 

#1

I love Melonheadz, it is an obsession.  Someone had blown up Melonheadz kids to use on their bulletin board, it was brilliant - so I did the same things with my cubbies.  They are adorable and it made my kids so excited to see their cubbies this morning.

#2

I was really proud of my babes' cutting skills this week.  I think my 4 year olds did a great job.  I used a Martha Stewart button punch for the eyes, too cute.

#3

Our Kinder team makes a Memory Book for their kids.  I wanted to make one with mine, but decided to make it a little different.  I am making an ABC of TK book.  This is what our "B" page looks like.

One of my little ones gluing her buttons on the letter.  I used the Martha Stewart button punch, again.

Here is one completed.  I will put all of them in a book and on the opposite page, I will put pictures.  For example, I will put their Birthday picture and Bono picture - opposite this page.

#4

Last year, I made this double sided apron - my Chicka apron.  It works really well for Kinder.  The kids were coming up to me and pointing to the letters and telling me the letters and the sounds.

#5

These are the cutest black polka dot shoes.  Warning: wear socks with them.  I had blisters on both heals and little toes by 9:30 this morning.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great weekend.