Christmas in July! Whoop, whoop!

I thought this year I would join in on all the fun and savings!  I enjoyed snagging many of my "wish listed" items from my favorite sellers the past couple weeks.  This has allowed me to get a head start on getting things ready for the upcoming year.  I wanted to do the same for you!

I've made all my products 30% off {except for $1 items} from now until Sunday night at midnight!  I hope you find something that will make your life slightly easier! :)

Meet ME #TBT

I'm excited about this Throwback!  It goes waaaayy back! All the way back to February 2, 2011 to be exact! :)   It was one of the first blog posts I made. Well like around 20th.  But you get the idea.  It was actually a linky started by Cara!  Doesn't she throw the best linky parties?! 

So what I did for this post is paste the original post but then gave you some updated info/answers in purple. 

I love getting to know fellow blogger buddies! Here's a tad about me:

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Meet the Teacher

Cara over at The First Grade Parade is doing a cute little teacher "link up" and encouraging all of us fabulous teacher bloggers to do a little 'meet and greet'.  So cute!  So here goes my soapbox! 

This is me and my amazing husband of four SIX years.  We've actually been together for 9 (11) years (how we met should be made into a Lifetime movie). We met when we were just 18, and yes, I know we still look 18! My name is Kelly.  I've had MANY nicknames through the years (many of which rhymed with Kelly), however, the one that always seems to stick is Shocker (my last name used to be Shockley).  And everyone had to do the hand gesture to go along with it.  Ridiculous.

I love being with my family and friends.  I long for girls nights and martinis!  I'm seriously addicted to Starbucks and spend all my money on things for my classroom and jewelry change that to just Starbucks and clothes :).

I graduated with my bachelor's degree from Flagler College in Florida and am currently getting my master's from Walden University online and I graduate THIS MAY!!!!  I'm SO excited to be D.O.N.E.!!! Yes, I did graduate.  Magna Cum Laude to be exact! Toot! Toot!

My hubby and I have two sweet little boxers, Nelly and Milo.  

My husband just started is own clothing line, BUILT Clothing, so kids aren't really in to near of the future for us but they are!!!.  We're enjoying being in our 20's!

I have been teaching for three years (going into my sixth) now and love every second of it!  I taught kindergarten for the first two years and am now in FANTASTIC first grade (back in K)!  I love first grade and hope that I am able to stay here for a V-E-R-Y long time (What was I thinking...I belong in K...ALWAYS)!

Now for the Q & A

Q: What would you be doing if you weren’t a teacher?                                           
A:  I would probably be a detective or forensic scientist.  Not sure why, but I am OBSESSED with murder mysteries.  Plus I'm extremely nosy and always want to know what happened and how and why! :) Still true but I also have the desire to own my own boutique (soon to be a reality).

Q: What are your hobbies?                                                                                  

A:  Reading and going to the gym.  Seriously, can't get enough of either!  I also am liking this blogging world! Gym?  Ha!  Hobbies: blogging and pinterest!                                                          

Q: When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?                   
A:  I wanted to be in tv productions and a meteorologist for the longest time!  My mom always tells me that when I was really young I would say I wanted to be an ice-cream scooper!  Ha!  I think I just liked the idea of EATING all the ice cream!
 
Q: What are your guilty pleasures?                                                                
 A: Cookies!!!!!!  Starbucks, Real Housewives (all of them), The Bachelor, Teen Mom (1 & 2), Jersey Shore, and wine! :)  Pretty much the same!

Q: What is your biggest fear?!                                                                     
 A: SNAKES and free falling.  Just the word snakes freaks me out!

Q: When you’re on vacation, where do you like to go?                                 
 A: To the beach or to the mountains!  Me and the hubby love to go hiking!  Really anything outdoors works for us!
                                                          
Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?                                                

     A:  It's not what you know, it's who you know!

Q: What do you value most in others?                                                                 

    A:  Respect. Loyalty when it comes to friends

Q: If you could choose one of your personality traits to pass down to your kids, what would it be?                                                                                                      
A: My sense of humor (which is really the ability to make light of a situation).  I enjoy making people laugh!

Q: If you could have lunch with anyone in the world….living or dead…who would it be?                                                                                                             
A:  Jennifer Aniston... man, to look like her when I'm her age!!!  also, Heather Whitestone (she was a former Miss America) and probably (totally stealing this from Cara) fellow bloggers whom I've been "stalking"; Cara Carroll, Deanna Jump (met her but didn't get to have lunch with her....dangit.  Same for Kim Adsit), Sarah Cooley, and Babbling Abby (this was written before she had The Inspired Apple), Kelley Dolling, Amy Lemons, Hadar, Michelle, and a BILLION others.  I would really like to pick their brains! :) 

Now tell us one random thing about yourself: 
I was a complete tomboy growing up.  The movie Doc Hollywood was filmed in my SMALL hometown of Micanopy and McIntosh, Florida.  I'm friends with Ricky Carmichael (the former Supercross champion) and I long to live in Australia (men with Australian accents melt my heart!) :)

So...what about you?!

10 Things I've Learned From Teaching {linky}

I'm linking up with Hadar today to talk about what I've learned from teaching.  I am going into my sixth year of teaching.  I've spent two years in first and this will be my fourth year in kindergarten, so my list might pertain mostly to primary.  I love being able to relate to so many people.  My non-teacher friends just don't get it! :)

ONE. Be consistent in your behavior management.  No matter how "mean" you may be or how hard they cry, at the end of the day you are still going to get a hug, huge smile, and an "I love you."  

TWO. No matter what your district might say... let them use their imagination!  In doing so they are learning far more than they would be completing a worksheet.  We always get 'down and dirty' in my class!!

THREE. To them you are a singer, a dancer, an artist, a nurse, a comedian, a model, a disciplinarian, a lunch monitor, a math whiz, a scientist, an author, and their hero.  Savor every moment of it!

FOUR. When all else fails...whisper.  Gets my kiddos focused and listening every time!

FIVE.  Be careful what you tell your child.  Your teacher will know!

SIX. You will always have a 'Speedy Gonzalez' in your class.  You know, the one that races to be first in line every.time. even though you have a line order!

SEVEN. Stalk up on erasers. Kids go through them like teachers do caffeine!

EIGHT. Never stop learning.  Reflect on your teaching as often as you can.

NINE. For 180 days you are their world.  Make it count!

TEN. No matter how many times I complain about mandates, standardized tests, and my salary, I wouldn't change my profession for the world.  At the end of the year I shed a tear, knowing I have made a difference and missing the 20 little ones I've grown so attached to.  

Favorite Pins Round 3

This has seriously become my favorite little weekly linky!  I have learned so much and have added so many things to my ever growing 'to-do' list! It amazes me how much I don't see on Pinterest {when I feel like there's nothing I could possibly be missing}.

Here are some of my favorites from this week.  We'll start with what I love most.... FOOD

 Nature Box

Just A Taste

Can you tell my favorite things to eat are breakfast foods?! I could seriously eat breakfast for every.single.meal.

Clothes

I'm a sucker for fashion.  I do not have the paycheck for it, but that's neither here nor there! :)

Polyvore

I am in love with this outfit!!

Webstagram

LOVE this color combination! Perfect for Fall!

Polyvore...and everything's sold out :/

And of course, I had to through in my game attire love!  I do LIVE in Nole Nation.  It's only fitting! :)

For the Home

Imperfect Home Making

Please tell me you've seen this pin already?  I swear every single one of my friends has 'pinned' this!  It's a step by step on how to fold your bedding all nice and pretty.  Tried it out and it worked!  Not as pretty as the picture but that's because I'm impatient when it comes to folding. :)

Beach Bright's Ideas

How brilliant is this idea...those are shoe box tops covered with fabric!!! shut up!!!! Get out of TOWN!!  Can not WAIT to do this! 

My Home Ideas

I wish I could call on Mary Poppins to complete this task for me!

School Love

Sew Fantastic

Umm...brilliant!  Love this idea for my kinder babies!

The Navy Stripe

Another little 'aha' moment.  Use zipper pouches to store puzzle pieces!!  I have taped and re-taped so many puzzle boxes!!  Can't wait to get into my room and do this.  Seems like a space saver too! Double bonus! :)

Mrs. Heeren's Happenings

Magnetic glass tile! How stinkin' adorable are these?! *love* Blog has an excellent DIY step-by-step.  Another item added to my 'to-do' list!

Don't forget another great organizational tool! :)

On sale in my TPT store for the rest of today!  It goes back to regular price tomorrow.  Thank you to all who participated in my FB giveaway and for all your sweet comments.  I sure do *LOVE* reading them! :)

Don't forget to head to Cara's blog to snag some more amazing ideas.  Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest.

Organizing OCD

I'm not sure about you, but every year around this time my mind goes straight into organization mode.  Sad thing is, it has nothing to do with my home but everything to do with school!  I start loading up my Pinterest boards and adding so many items to my 'to-do' list.  

Wait till you see my Pin-it Friday list!!  {obviously, that will be tomorrow} :)

Today, however, I want to share with you a file I just created and posted.
As many of you know, my hubby and I have started trying to have a baby.  When I started thinking about the thought of possibly leaving my classroom and kiddos at some point this year, I began to hyperventilate.  The thought of someone taking over is....well...dreadful!  I'm slightly OCD and like to have things done my way.  I began searching all over for tips and tricks for leaving your classroom and came up short-handed.  This led me to create a binder that I will be {hopefully} using sometime in the near future.

This 91 page packet has everything you will need to leave with your long-term sub and leave you at ease {well maybe just a little less stressed}.  I like to leave extremely thorough and detailed information for my subs {I feel sorry for the ones that just take over my room for half-a-day.  They get a two page+ plan}.  This packet has everything I could think of that I would want my long-term sub to know.  There are pages for classroom information, school information, references pages for all things academic, and so much more!

You can check it out at my TPT store where it is marked at a discounted price! Or head over to my Facebook page where you can win it for FREE!

Can't wait to share all my favorite pins from the week with you tomorrow!!  It's my *favorite* linky party! :)

Communication Tools! {SALE}

One of my favorite communication/management tools are my Parent-Teacher Communication Binders.  These are a huge hit with my parents every year, simply because they are able to keep track of their child's academics and behavior daily.  It's a super simple binder with simple directions and guidelines. I decided since, sadly, so many of you are going back to school already to have a little sale!

Here is a quick view of what's in my store!  Still adding more daily! :)  Don't see a theme that fits your room?  Let me know!!

Click HERE to head to my TPT store!

First Day Photos!

Woohoo!  Second Monday in a row that I am joining in on the Monday Made It fun!!  This summer has been such a relaxing summer but the month of July so far has been all about making things slowly for my classroom.

This week I was determined to make a "K" for my back to school pictures!

Last year I did the whole "picture frame with "My first day of Kinder" adhered around it.  I found it to be oh-so-cute but the kiddos had a hard time holding it.  I think it might have been a little too heavy for some of my tiny kinder babies. 

SO, once I saw Michelle's adorable "K" I knew just what to make.  She has a fabulous how-to post over on her blog.  You can click HERE to check it out.

It's quite simple though. 

I got my letter and paper from Hobby Lobby {they have large numbers there, too, for all you K-5 teachers}.  I forgot that I needed mod-lodge, so I got that at JoAnn's.  Michelle snagged her letter from Michaels.  Really any craft store should do in purchasing all the materials!

Then, you just trace your letter onto your paper, cut it out, apply some mod-podge to the letter, lay on the paper, smooth out the paper to rid of any bubbles, and then cut and add your ribbon.  Don't forget to apply mod-podge over top once it's all adhered! I also used a sealant spray to make sure it was good, sealed, and sturdy.  That is completely optional though!

Here's the final product!

I do not have any cute pictures of my nieces or nephews holding the "K" but you can see how adorable it looks in the hands of a tiny one on Michelle's blog! :)

Thanks again, Michelle for the adorable idea!

How do you plan to take first day of school pictures?

favorite linky!

Friday Favorites has quickly become my favorite linky party!

I already follow most of you on Pinterest but I love getting to see all of your favorite pins.  Last week, I grabbed some fabulous ideas that I missed on Pinterest.  This linky is also making me extend my 'to-do' list by a foot each week! 

Here are my favorite pins I 'pinned' this week:

Educational Pins

Teach Train Love

This chick is amazing.  Her website has lots of fantastic teachery ideas but my favorite is her Brain Break videos!!!! I've already bookmarked that specific page on my computer for this year.  {love}

Sweet Blessings

How amazing and adorable is this poster!  I love this!  Thinking I might print it out, frame it, and put in my room somewhere.  Is it too "harsh?"

4th Grade Frolics

LOVE.  This is a much cuter way to display and keep track of who is completing their homework.  Tara, will you make me one?! :)

That's So Second Grade

This is just incredible.  Talk about organized! Ashley {my newest Instagram friend} organizing all of her extra worksheets/printables by common core standard.  GET OUT OF TOWN!  So wish she would come help me do this!

Clothing LOVE

Polyvore

I am in love with this simply, yet classy outfit.  I want that shirt bad.  

Polyvore

I am obsessing over all these colors.  What a bright and pretty combination!

This is the one thing that drives me crazy about Pinterest.  All of these pictures send you to some overseas website that does not allow you to purchase the items and/or everything's already sold out OR it costs a fortune.  That's why I love WANELO {Want Need Love}.  If you have not experienced WANELO, go now and I'm sorry.

Drinks

Fine Dining Lovers

My name is Kelly and I'm a wine-o!  I love a good glass of wine {especially red}.  I'm planning on going to Napa Valley for my 30th next year.  Gotta start saving now!  This link shows you what wine you should pair with what type of food.  Perfect!

That's it for this Friday!

Click HERE if you would like to follow me on Pinterest!

Head over to Cara's blog to see what everyone else is pinning.

Happy Friday!

Throwback Thursday {July 11}

I just love this little linky party!  I love going back into the archives of my blog and I love getting to read everyone else's as well!

Today's #tbt is all about Parent-Teacher communication and a classroom management tool.  It is something I use every.single.year and have even gotten every primary teacher in my school to use!  They are awesome! The original post was posted on June 24, 2012.

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Next up a communication tool that I use every year and LOVE!

I use a parent-teacher communication binder as a way to keep in touch with parents on a daily basis.  The idea is to keep the parents actively involved with their child's daily education/school "life" and give the students something to be responsible for.  

Each year at the end of the year I give parents a survey and ask them to "grade" me on my communication skills and give me any praise/advice.  Each year I receive numerous comments on my binders.  They LOVE them! They like being able to hold their children accountable (with behavior and homework) and like that they can easily see what their child is learning and how they are doing.  So with that said, I created a new version of my FISH Book and while I was at it created three other binders (some were requested by fellow colleagues).

 

You can check them out at my TPT Store

or 

Teacher's Notebook

 

Woohoo! So proud of myself for getting those done! :)

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I've updated all of the above and added a few more.  Here are some the binders I have in my store! MOST can be personalized when opening document in Adobe Reader (instructions included in packet).  Still to come: FARM book, updated SAILOR book, OWL book, ROCKSTAR book, CAMP book, HORSE book, and some more. :) Click the pictures to check them out!

If you live in Florida or a state close to Florida, click HERE.

Have a great Thursday, friends!