Doing the Happy Dance!

OMG!  I'm doing the happy dance. Right now.  In my computer chair! :)  

My F.A.V.O.R.I.T.E. fellow teachers are having an AWESOME give-a-way!  I don't think I could be more excited about it!  Not only are these three ladies amazing (Abby from The Inspired Apple, Michelle from Fabulous in First, and the infamous Deanna Jump) but they're giving a way some GREAT literacy tools for you to implement within your own classroom.  These ladies are some of the best to learn from.  I have been a follower of Michelle's for two years now (stalked her over at her regular old website Fantastic First Grade) and she really is the BOMB-DIGGITY (yes, I just used that term)!  She even takes the words right out of my mouth in her post: "there's no sense in reinventing the wheel"... HELLO!  Beg, borrow, steal!!!!

Head over there right this second.  I am bound and determined to win this goody!!! :)

Click Below:

woop, woop!!!

10 things in 3 years...

Love all these cute link parties!  The latest.... "Ten Things You've Learned About Teaching."  Head over to Rowdy in First Grade to link up!

Okay, so I've only been teaching for three years and most of the fellow teachers who have already linked up have "stolen" some of the things I was going to share... so you may see some repeaters! :)

1.  Red Wine is truly a "case of the Monday's" cure!

2. Your "special friends" are NEVER absent.

3. The Daily Five and CAFE menu has become a saving grace in teaching my firsties to read!!!

3. The things I get most excited about has changed since college.  I went from clothes and accessories to colorful pens and storage!

4. The Dollar Tree is now my FAVORITE store.

5. I spend all my free time surfing blogs to 'steal' ideas!

6. Your best buds are fellow teachers.  We truly are the B-E-S-T!!

7.  Being a teacher doesn't get you out of jury duty :(

8. Teachers throw the best parties

9. Teachers can go HOURS without having to go pee.  This is truly amazing and remarkable!

10. At the end of the day, when you're reflecting on ALL the kiddos who make up your class, even the ones who make you want to pull your hair out or change professions, you love each and every one of them and would rather be unappreciated by the rest of society (in Florida it sure feels that way now) and be scraping by with horrible pay, then doing any other job.

I {heart} teaching!

What about you??

Hold the Phone!!!

Have you seen the blog Thirst for First?!  OH. MY. WORD. If it is not adorable!!!!

Not only is it adorable and filled with cute-cute stuff but she's also teamed up with Abby from The Inspired Apple to host ANOTHER amazing GIVE-A-WAY!

Click HERE to check out the goodies!

{This HAS to be the time I become a WINNER!}  :)

Venting

I. AM. EXHAUSTED.

I seriously feel like this lady does!  I have two more days until I am on spring break and I just don't feel like I can make it!  There is so much going on and so much to do all in preparation for my leaving two days early (I will have a sub on Thursday and Friday) and for my vacation.  And of course I took on the task of tie-dying all my firsties some Field Day t-shirts that need to be done by Wednesday AM (I love to color coordinate...it's a little ridiculous) AND I have a 5 page paper to write for my master's course!!!!  Not to mention I'm back on antibiotics for this gosh-awful cold!  As Abby would say, I am feeling "12 kinds" of exhausted!

Have you ever felt like you're drowning and just can't come up for air?!   My. Word.

The highlight of my night will be this:

I'm crossing my fingers that Emily is the one getting the ring.  I have been right every season in my predictions so far so we shall see!  

Thank you my fellow "balcony" teachers for listening to me vent a little.  It was much needed!

BOOKS ARE AMAZING!

The countdown is in FULL swing for spring break!  7 days for me and counting!!!!! I could NOT be happier!  I love my sweet kiddos but I am ready for some RE-LAX-ATION!!!

Before I depart to the beach for a week there is still work to be done.

These past weeks, we've been learning (on top of everything else) about homophones, synonyms, and antonyms.  If you do not have these books go get them!  They are TOO cute for words and really give "fantabUlous" examples of each!

These three books are a MUST!  The kids LOVE the illustrations and the rhyming text.

Of course, there's always a cute follow up activity to go with each and OF COURSE, I have not had my camera to take any pictures of them.  But I will, promise!

Happy Tuesday