It's GIVEAWAY Time! You Don't Want To Miss This!

Are you ready to win some prizes, friends!!

My good friend Laura, at A Grace Filled Classroom has met an amazing milestone and wants to celebrate with a GIVEAWAY!!

Take a look at the prizes:

&

You can enter for your chance to win HERE.

Good luck & congratulations, friend!

Took A Chance...Met A Hero!!

Hello friends,

I had to stop and create this post after one of the most AH-MAZE-ING mornings!

Please bear with me as I unload the details.  

After a fabulous night with my hubby at the Delta Sigma Theta Convention party held by his fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma, I dreaded hearing my early alarm clock screaming for me to get out of bed.  It was Day 2 of a K-2 Literacy Institute my district was holding.  The first day was "OKAY."  I think our speaker had a wealth of knowledge but the plethora of info she was presenting was a baseline for something greater and I sort-of already had that under my belt.  Let's just say I did a lot of yawning and social media updates to pass the time.  Today was supposed to be better.  But getting in at a late hour probably didn't help give me the energy boost I needed to become excited (which if you read any of my earlier posts, I absolutely l-o-v-e workshops and trainings because I'm a student at heart).  

I managed to get a decent outfit on and begin the quick 15 minute trip to the conference center.  Along the way, my "hubster" called and told me he was thinking of going to a workshop his district was holding where a fellow teacher was presenting about flipped classrooms.  He wasn't registered but thought he might just show up.  As my training began, I received a text message from said hubby with this:

My reaction:

IT WAS FREAKIN' RON CLARK!!  

Ron Clark who I barely introduced to my hubby maybe about two weeks ago.  Ron Clark who is such an inspirational teacher that I only dreamed I would ever get a chance to hear or see him.  When the fabulous Hope King did a Periscope about her AH-MAZE-ING classroom at the Ron Clark Academy I was floored!  I explored all I could about it and began rambling on and on to my Hubby about how I thought schools like that were only found within the pages of a book.  And there it was.  The school of all teacher's dreams!  I shared all my findings with my husband.  He was intrigued.  What was even funnier is that we sat and watched the Periscope Hope did with Ron as they were on a road trip.  And guess what!  That road trip led right here to Cypress, TX!! 

So of course my husband begins to tell him all about my excitement laid upon him the past few weeks.  He then decides to have Ron Clark Facetime me!  Right there in the middle of my workshop!  And what does Ron Clark say?  He says, "get over here!  You've got 50 minutes!"
Psh!  Who could turn down Ron Clark?  Not this girl.  I grabbed my belongings and dashed out (I hope I don't get in trouble with my district).  When I got there, here comes my husband and he had Ron Clark in tow.  Ron Clark gave me a hug like we were long time friends and said, "you made it!"  

Uh yeah!!!

Ah-maze-ing!!

And to top it off, I got to sit in the second row, right in the center and listen to this amazing teacher speak!  

It was...you guessed it...ah-maze-ing!!  I still feel like a giddy kid on Christmas morning.  I just want to scream out how every teacher should get a chance to hear this man speak!  He is such an inspiring, true, classroom hero.  I think after this morning, I can convince my hubby to take a trip to ATL and visit that magical school that I now know is not just found inside the pages of a book!

I'm Back...for a July Currently.

Okay, okay.  I know it has been like...FOREVER!  

Truth Moment: I tend to take on way too much and juggling grad school, teaching, curriculum writing, and being the team leader took me underground from my blog and TPT creations.

I love to stay busy but sometimes it becomes my own worst enemy.

So why not start getting back in the groove then starting with a CURRENTLY link-up with Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade.

Listening - My family is getting ready to meet me in Vegas to go on a road trip to California and back to Texas.  So our youngest daughter is sharing her playlist with us.  [sigh]

TX Swag for TPT Vegas15

Loving - I just got another of my ordered items for my Vegas swag.  I have to be honest...I have no idea what I should be packing for this conference.  I feel so pressured to find the right "fits" for any possible situation.  Ugh.  Now how do I get this all to fit into my suitcase?


Thinking - This preparation is getting away from me.  I need a list ASAP!  But where do I start?

Wanting - I have this need to be prepared and I don't feel like I know how to prepare for my first TPT Conference trip to Vegas.  I am trolling the blogs and Instagram trying to get hints about what others are doing.  Any advice would be well accepted and will definitely make the list I'm about to start (see above).  Side note - does anybody else have a husband that thinks they are crazy for all the hoopla surrounding this adventure?  I think he's watching me with this odd look.  I don't know how to explain it to him.

Needing - This is my first week of true summer rest since school ended on the 3rd of June.  I (for some reason...oh yeah - extra $$) signed up to help my district write 2nd Grade ELA curriculum and have been feverishly working on it since school ended.  I just finished the first two 9-weeks worth.  I'm so ready for a break!

All * - Best procrastinator of all time.  And when I procrastinate...sometimes I end up with some AWESOME results.  Sometimes.  I tend to do that often with grad school work.  Especially nowadays.  I really probably need to get that in check.  I just feel like sometimes I work best under pressure.

Alright.  I think this is good for my first post in a long time.  It didn't even hurt.

Don't forget to stop by and check out some other July CURRENTLY posts.  I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one trying to get back in the swing of things.

RTBC!! Woot-woot! The Real Teachers of "Blog" County!

Don't you love it!?!  

For those of you RHOA or RHOBH or RHOOC fans...you know how awesome this Blog Link-Up is!

It's the creative genius of Hilary from 2nd Grade Is Out Of This World.

I saw this on FB and could not resist.  I really should be creating my Kahoot games for this week and instead here I am.  

Not that posting on my blog is a bad thing.  It is definitely about darn time.  I have kinda sorta fell off this train.  Ok -- I'm really not even strolling along side.  Just sitting on the ground watching it pass.  I don't know why.  I just couldn't seem to get my butt in gear lately.  

But now...but this...I just had to start typing.

First of all, the title is PERFECTION! 

Second, OF COURSE I can relate to this stuff!

I am by no means AT ALL the teacher we all see on the blog posts, pins, Facebook links, Instagram pics, etc.  Don't get me wrong, we have fun, we learn, we create and do some amazing stuff in my classroom...but it all is not sunshine and buttercups behind the scenes (or pics) in this case.

  If I have to take a pic for a post, I usually do a quick clean up around the targeted focus.  If I just panned a little to the left, this is what you would see:

I think I have enough bottles of water.  What do you think?

{Oh- the shame!}  & this is after doing a quick clear off a couple of days ago.  

At the end of the day, I turn around and cannot believe how everything gets so cluttered.  I've toyed with the insane idea of getting rid of my teacher desk and then thought...maybe not.  Because then where would all this go?

Or this?

The place where things go to die.

I don't want to even think of it.  My goal is to try to keep my desk cleared each day so that I can lay out the activities/worksheets for that day (I sometimes find something I missed if I leave them in the drawers - Doh!).  As you can see, I'm not doing so HOT in this goal so far.  I don't see one stack of work and very little cleared space.  Ugh!  Gotta work harder!

Alright -- your turn.  Truth time.  Where's your "problem spot" in your classroom?  Come on people, you know you have one.  Don't let us sit alone in this.  After all, this is REALITY... not all of us are "gone with the wind fabulous."

Link-up, friends.  Click HERE

and expose, expose, expose. 

Pick 3 Pinterest Picks- December

Greetings friends!  

I am so excited to finally join some of my Primary Peeps for a monthly link-up you are going to love.  The wonderful Lisa from PAWSitively Teaching and Marissa from Inspired Owl's Corner are doing a Pick 3 Pinterest Picks monthly link that is jam packed with ideas we've found on that favorite little place we all find ourselves in hourly er...I mean daily.  Right?  Daily. 

My number 1 pick is one I have done with my kids for the last few years.

 

I found this cute idea and decided that would be the front of the card we make to go along with our Parent gift.  I went out and grabbed tons of fun Xmas paper instead of just greens.  I cut them into billions of strips and set out a tray with them at each group.  I demonstrated how to start from the bottom with the longer strips and then trim them smaller as you get to the top.  The kids love it and they all come out so different.  You can click on the image above to check out the pin itself.

My next pick is such an adorable craft.  

I usually try to get the kids to earn one of my Get Caught-Up Whole Class Rewards (Arts & Crafts) around this time of year to get a little fun mixed in.  One year we created these reindeer and they came out so cute!!

My last pick for this month is a super fun tradition I started a few years back and can hardly wait for the festivities to begin this year.

 

We have incorporated some Minute It To Win It games into our Holiday Party these past few years.  It has been so much fun for both the kiddos and visiting parents.  I've really gotten some great photos.  Last year one of the games we played involved me, my student teacher, a delicious Oreo cookie, and our faces.  That's all that needs to be said.  No picture attached.  Let's just say, I'm a pro at moving a cookie to my mouth without hands and just some face muscles.  I'm a sucker for a cookie!!

How much fun was that?  I can hardly wait to read some other great ideas found to add to our classroom this year.  And don't forget, it's open to you to link-up with us.  Did you find some great idea you'd love to share?  Share it here by linking up below.

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanksgiving Leftovers & MORE!!

Just keep reading...just keep reading...just keep reading, reading, reading.

Sorry -- I pictured Dory singing as I typed and thought it might work.

Ok -- so wake up from that "turkey coma" and get ready for some great news!!

I am teaming up with one of my Primary Peeps for a fun link-up, giveaway, and sale!  My friend, Missy from Dirt Road Teacher is hosing this exciting event.  There is so much to tell ya, that I don't even know where to begin.

Let's start from the top:

Leftover Sale:

Problem Solving Calendar Math

How about a Thanksgiving Feast of sale items for 1 day only!

I've put a few favorites on sale:

All Caught Up Whole Class Rewards

1. Problem Solving Calendar Math - These have been so much fun the past couple of months, that I've decided to make them for each month.  My kiddos love to pull out their scissors and glue and so I figured why not get them to practice some problem solving skills while they are at it.  And it's happening without the slightest bit of resistance.  For 1 day only - you can grab them for just $1 each!!  
2. All Caught Up - One of my favorites.  This is a great whole-class reward system.  My class is moving through each of these rewards so quickly this year, I'm having to come up with more rewards.  And today, you can catch this for just $1.
3. Christmas Kick-off - My top selling items are the Addition, Subtraction, and Multiplication fact tests.  They are a perfect way to get your students to practice their facts through timed tests.  They are the integral part of my Fear Factor Year-long Challenge.  For 1 day, they are 50% off!  That's only $3!!

Fact Tests

Leftover Yummies:

Ok - so my recipe is really about my Sweet Potato Casserole and an idea I plan on trying out this morning.  A good friend of mine made this casserole one year and I LOVE it!  I can't imagine making it better as a leftover idea but I can't wait to try it out. 

Sweet Potato Casserole

• 3 cups of sweet potatoes (cooked, peeled, and mashed)
• 2 eggs (beat)
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1 tsp. of vanilla
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1 cup of chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup of butter (melted)

Preheat the oven to 350degrees.  Combine sweet potatoes, eggs, sugar, milk, and vanilla.  I like to add some marshmallows into this mixture to make it a little more gooey.  Pour the mixture into a 9x9inch greased baking dish/pan.  In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar, flour, pecans, and butter to make a topping.  Add the topping to the sweet potato mixture.  Bake for 25 minutes.

Ok - so now for the leftovers...I found this great idea for Sweet Potato Pecan Waffles. I figured since my casserole recipe already has pecans in it, this might be perfect.  The link has a great blog post with step-by-step directions (pictures included -- I'm such a visual learner).

Click image for Pinterest Link

You can find it HERE.  As soon as I attempt this yummy-looking leftover plan, I will post pics.

Leftover Giveaway:

Now check out this opportunity!  It's a giveaway!  Enter for your chance to win some "dinero" to spend on your shopping adventures.  When I say "dinero," I'm talking about $30 or $100 in your pocket!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Leftover Link-Up:

Join us and share any leftover recipes you have in your pocket.

You Oughta Know About...

It's another "You Oughta Know!"  

I was planning to share with you about something my kiddos and I have been working on lately, but I found something else that I'm sure you've heard a little about.  So this You Oughta Know is a "two-for-one."

So for my original idea was..."You Oughta Know about these great books to use for Writing!"

Click the picture to take you to one of the books pictured

If you're like me, you are constantly searching for some books to use with your lessons.  Of course I have my "go-tos" for certain concepts, but every once in a while I stumble upon some unknown gem of a read aloud.  Our last focus in writing was for our 2nd graders to write short stories that had beginnings, middles, and ends.  One of my colleague (who sometimes says her Adult ADHD is a blessing), was snooping around the library one afternoon and stumbled upon the "Share a Scare" one and it was perfect during the Halloween time.  We used it to write our very own scary stories.  Well then I discovered the many others.  They are from the WRITER'S TOOLBOX series and there's a bunch of them.  Each of these books is two-part.  They tell a story and have a sidebar of "tools" writers should use when writing that sort of text.  The books says to read the story first.  Then go back through and read the story along with the "tools" or ideas they give to the writers.  My kiddos loved it and they were so eager to share their scary stories and show what tools they used.  So now we are focusing on Poetry.  I hit up Amazon and got the collection of ones for writing we focus on and away we go.

This one also inspired us to put together a Poetry Project.  I created it and it is called, "I'm A Poet & You Know It!"  You can find your own copy here or by clicking the picture below.

My 2nd share is about this:

Have you heard?  Have you seen it?  Have you read about it?

Well -- if you haven't, what are you waiting for?  This is the most fun way to get your kids interacting with information you've taught.  My hubby (7th grade History teacher) was creating one for his class one night and he showed me how it works.  We literally got our reluctant teenagers down stairs to play late one night.  They ended up having fun even though it was about TX history (grumble, grumble).  Kahoot lets you create a quick review that can be done interactively with student's own devices or laptops or whatever technology you've got.  They log in with a pin, create a nickname so they can keep track of their scores, and compete against others to get the best score with correct answers and speed.  I created one for the first time yesterday and we used it to review our Science vocabulary right before our assessment.  Here are some pics of the fun:

 There was a picture of them celebrating after the answer was shown and the the scoreboard was displayed but it was so blurry because of the amount of excitement that was in the room.  They LOVED it!  They didn't even want to go outside for recess when it was over and they asked if they could do one each day!  

What?  

They are ASKING me to review content?  

Yup!  It's that powerful.  So if you don't know about Kahoot!  You oughta!  Stop by https://getkahoot.com and find out if this can be your little tool to get this reaction.

Keep reading to check out more "You Oughta Knows" from a bunch of wonderful people below:

An InLinkz Link-up