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Sunday, November 25, 2012

A Whale of a Sale!

{Isn't that the cutest little whale?!}

I love good deals and there are TONS of them happening in less than 4 hours! 
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time-off from work and although I'm not excited about tomorrow being Monday because of the whole work thing...I AM excited about it being Monday because then I can press that "purchase" button at TPT   and TN! :)

I am holding sales at BOTH of my stores!
I just added a NEW math game to my Primary Number Sense packet.




It's a super fun and simple math center that my kiddos L-O-V-E! I have to put this center in constant rotation! The center requires them to count and do simple addition.  Click either pictures to check it out!
I also just posted my new jam-packed unit:


You can see and read more about this unit HERE!
Can't wait to push that button and share all the goodies I got with you!!

I also started a FB PAGE {man, I HAVE been busy this break}!
Go "LIKE" it and leave a comment here letting me know you did and I will choose one winner to receive my Polar Express unit FREE!

I *LOVE* getting comments, don't you?! :)

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Polar Express + Sale+WINNER!

****UPDATE: I finally started my FB page!  Click HERE and "like" it please!!!

ALSO, the winner of the My Memories Suite Giveaway is:  Hilary Philpott-Gard! Check your email for your goodies!!!

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I don't know about you but I am not one to go deal with the crowds who go out on Black Friday.  There's just nothing exciting about fighting traffic and lines just to save a couple dollars.  
Now I do not "bash" those who do.  I have SEVERAL dear friends who stayed up for over 24 hours shopping their little hearts out.  They did get some good deals but to me, there is simply nothing worth my beauty sleep! :)

Okay.  All that rambling leads me to my E-X-C-I-T-E-M-E-N-T about Cyber Monday!  I love being able to shop from the comfort of my couch, while I'm sipping on yummy coffee in my pj's! :) 

{Thank you Ashley Hughes for the adorable graphic!}
I will be celebrating this event by participating in the SALE! Make sure to enter the code found on the picture to get your sale price!!  


I'm also participating in the Teacher's Notebook Sale.  Lots of great goodies!

I'm also excited because I have a lot of items in my shopping cart AND I just completed my Polar Express unit!!!!!
Here it is:






This cross-curricular unit is jam-packed with TONS of reader's response, writing, literacy, and math activities.  There's also some science and crafting too!

I dont' know what it is about The Polar Express but I just **LOVE** teaching this unit.  It's not every year I get to use it either!  Since it is a Christian-based story, I only like to use it when I have students who ALL celebrate Christmas.
This year, I have a full class of Santa believers and I am OVER THE MOON excited about it! I love me some Santa!!! 

Okay. 
Today has also been a sad day as MY TEAM, The Florida State Seminoles, lost to our arch rival The Florida Gators.  It just hasn't been our year!
Oh, well! Back to the USC vs Notre Dame game! Love some college football!

:) Kelly

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Simply Thankful.

No goodies.  No sharing.  Just lost of love to YOU.
I feel very blessed this year.  I have a roof over my head. I have a husband whom I love spending every second of the day with {and, gratefully, vice versa}.  I have two pups that also love me unconditionally.  I have an utterly amazing family {both sides} whom support every.single.thing. I decide to venture into doing.  I have a job. I have friends who keep me sane.  
I have all of YOU. 

My life changed in 2010 when I was told by my principal three days before school started that I would be moving from kindergarten to first grade.  Terrified and upset {my room was READY to go for kinder} I began to search for first grade rooms on the internet.  I wanted to see what other teacher's first grade classrooms looked like and what they were doing.  I found some websites first.  Blogs were not a dime a dozen then.
I continued to search around.  I found some AMAZING ladies who were sharing their ideas and creating items for others for FREE {or for a SMALL price}.  Things that they use in their own classrooms and found as a success.
My life had changed.

I am a better teacher because of each and everyone of you.

THANK YOU

for sharing all of your knowledge with us.

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Don't forget to enter the My Memories Suite Giveaway.
I will be back later this week with a brand new Polar Express Unit!

Enjoy your Turkey Day!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

My Memories GIVEAWAY {plus SALE}

I am so excited to share with you a wonderful giveaway.
A week ago I was asked to preview the new version of My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbook Software!  Since creating units is a LOT like scrapbooking, I thought why not!!!  I am so glad I did. 

The scrapbook software is super easy to navigate through and comes with over 1,500 background pages, 1,000 embellishments, and 30+ album templates already installed in your software!  What I liked most about it was that even though I was not uploading pictures, I was able to easily upload clipart without the images becoming distorted.  This program was a lot like using PowerPoint but a LOT easier and a LOT more "creative friendly!" 

Here's the SUPER neat feature... with My Memories Suite you can upload videos, music, and narration to your scrapbooks.  Imagine the possibilities! 

My Memories also has an AMAZING online store FULL of digital scrapbook bundles with A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E clipart and paper backgrounds.  I've already added quite a few bundles and am anxious to get to creating!

Here's where the exciting part comes:


Note that this image was created on My Memories Suite Software with the embellishments and paper background provided with the software! 
Enter below to get in on the fun!
If you just can't wait, use the following code to get your $20 deal
STMMMS77773


Here's another peek at more goodies created with My Memories Suite!


Click the above image to head to my TPT Store


Good Luck!! :)



Monday, November 12, 2012

Teaching Tip {linky}

I love Hadar from Miss Kindergarten.  She is one of the sweetest bloggers and is amazingly talented!
She decided to start a fun little linky party all on teaching tips.
I must say...I've read SEVERAL blogs {found some new ones too} and now have a L-O-N-G list of "must-dos!"  
Even if you don't link up...you MUST go check out these blogs.  Lots of good stuff.  Isn't that why we're all part of this blogging community anyways?! :)


Okay.  Let me preface some things before I give you my teaching tip. I am slightly OCD.  My mother gracious gave me some of that gene amongst others! ;)  I get massive OCD when it comes to organizing.  I like things to be broken down every which way.  For instance my "files"... like "worksheet files."  They are not just broken down by theme...no, no, no...they are broken down by theme, then by subject, then by common core standard, then by level of difficulty.  Oh yes!  These are all nicely filed into page protectors and placed in two large binders (I actually am in need of a third binder now).  The binders are also organized by months/semester.  Makes finding things SUPER easy.
That's just the background heads up to my teaching tip!

My teaching tip is simple.  LABEL.  Label EVERYTHING!  Label things for YOUR sanity and label things for your students.  I might be making mine slightly OCD, but hey, everything's where I want it to be. We have a drawer for our Marvelous Monday writing folders, a drawer for our monthly journals, and a drawer for our writing folders {where we keep our on going writing for writer's workshop}.  We also have every.single. math manipulative in it's own little box.  
The kiddos are able to find and place everything where it belongs.  
Talk about saving time!


One area of my room that I LOVE is my classroom library {as seen above...another tip, turn your old cubbies that you don't really use into a library...Dollar Tree baskets}.  It's labeled and organized to the max.  My kiddos are able to go book shopping ALONE.  Yes, I let my kinder babies go book shopping ALONE.  Why?!  Because everything is labeled and they can easily find where everything goes.


Each and EVERY.SINGLE book has it's own label that matches the basket it belongs in.  I taught them {and we practiced A.LOT} where to find the sticker and where to find it on the basket.  Viola!  Sanity! 


I created these labels two years ago, updated them slightly a couple months ago, and have them in my TPT store for a whopping $4!!! 
I am in the process of adding more labels for a sweet fellow blogger.

While you're there check out my new packet!  Read more about it HERE!


Don't forget to link up and/or begin your long lists of must-dos after reading these fantastic tips!
Happy Veteran's Day weekend!!





Sunday, November 11, 2012

Kinder Number Sense Games

I am so excited about this packet!

Math was never my strong suite growing up and it was hard for me to grasp those hard math skills.  I hated math.  Math was not for me.
Then when I became a teacher I realized I had to start liking math again.  I struggled the first few years teaching math.  Then I attended a thinking math conference and it all changed!!

Counting with understanding is a crucial math skill that child must learn in order to build a strong number sense.  Abby Mullins is currently in the works of creating another awesome RTI packet all on number sense.  This packet is a great addition to that.
Each of the 21 games were designed to meet all Counting and Cardinality Common Core standards for Kindergarten and are engaging to all students.



My students have been playing most of these games already this year.  I have printed and laminated each of the games for durability and longevity.
I play these games one-on-one with struggling students, have students play as partners, and sometimes allow them to complete a game independently.

I might be slightly biased but my kids LOVE playing these games during math workstations and I have seen improvement in their number recognition and one-to-one counting correspondence!

Okay.  Well you can check out the packet HERE!
Let me know what you think!


*****Anyone going to the FL Kindergarten Conference?!*****

Saturday, November 3, 2012

My favorite time...CURRENTLY! :)

I absolutely love Farley's Currently posts! I find myself LOL when I read some of your "currently" posts!!! :)


Ok.  Now for some explanations:

I'm not sure if you know how adorable my sweet pups are so I'm just going to share this:


:) Aren't they just so sweet?! I promise they are not in pain, even though Nelly's {the small one} face may look like she's being tortured! These are their new collars I got them for our Christmas Picture this year!! Yes, they are my babies and they are SPOILED!

I LOVE this time of year! Being from FL, I am not used to seeing all the seasons (leaves changing colors, etc..) but I love the crisp cool air!!  Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  I love getting to be with family all day and, most importantly, I love getting to eat myself silly! :)

I am beyond PUMPED to be going to the FL Kindergarten Conference in Orlando again.  The first year I went I got to meet the amazing Shari Sloane and this year, Deanna Jump!!! I REALLY want to meet YOU too!
If you are going to the conference, LET ME KNOW! Let's meet up.  Leave a comment!

Okay, the pedicure thing.  I know I've said that for at least the last three currently's! This time, I'M SERIOUS! My feet are all kinds of nasty and neglected.

Music.  My kids LOVE to sing and dance.  If you didn't already know, I am THE best singer and dancer.  According to my 20 sweet kiddos. :)  Our favorite songs come from Mark D. Pencil
Here is our ALL TIME f-a-v-o-r-i-t-e song:



My kiddos BEG me to play that song!  Go to his Youtube channel and get ready to sing away.  He's amazing!

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Well thanks for stopping by! Leave a comment {I LOVE getting comments} and while you're at it, click that "follow" button! :)

Head over to Farley's page and link up! 
Happy Saturday!