I feel so loved!

I am so honored that Mrs. Kazanjian, over at The Kinder"garden" Teacher picked me as one of the bloggers she wanted to recognize!! Thank you so much Mrs. K!!!

Look what she gave me!!

I feel so special, especially now that I know what this means!!

This award is named for the German word "Liebster," which translates to "beloved" or "favorite", and is given to a "new, up and coming blogger." 

Here are the rules:

1. Link back to the person who gave it to you. 
2. Post the award to your blog.
3. Give the award to at least 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers.
4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award.


I am giving the award to: 

I am now off to dig out my sewing machine and get started on my other 2 tote bags. I also saw a SUPER cute Retelling Rope I want to make, and I am thinking about trying to go to a 5:30 yoga class. Hmmm wonder if I will get it al down... probably not but anyway getting this award just made my day!

Tuesday DIY and a quest!

Before I begin I want to remind you all about 2 things

My current Linky Party!! Come on over and link up and my 80 follower giveaway!!  (just click on the pictures)

OK, now on to my Tuesday DIY!! I was blog stalking this morning and saw a cute idea about ways to organize listening centers. I saw a super cute idea at Sweet Life of Teaching and was inspired! Its super simple, just print off the tags and hook them onto a tote bag with the book(s), CD(s), and a personal CD player. The students can then just grab a bag, find a spot and listen to reading! Now, since I am not paid during the summer (I know SHOCKER!!!) a so we are on a tight budget over the summer. That being said I really wanted to do this for my listening centers. I decided that I would go to Wal-Mart and just price the tote bags and personal CD players and then when hubby gets paid I might be able to pick up a couple.

I was sad that I couldn't find ANY cute colorful tote bags that would work for what I wanted and as I was leaving the craft section the fabric section caught my eye. So I went over and was looking at the remnants they had on clearance and again that little voice in my head (just like with the cushions for the crates) said "HEY you could totally MAKE some tote bags!!"

Now apparently that little voice in my head forgets that I am NOT a real crafty person. My mom used to sew up a storm and was always trying to teach me but I was just never really interested, why should I lean how to sew, you can buy pillows and clothes and all that other stuff at the store! Boy I wish I would have listened and learned. Anyway, that voice in my head, which I swear is my mom LOL, kept yelling at me that I could totally do this! So I thought "OK well I have a sewing machine and the voice WAS right about the crate cushions, I did make those and they came out SUPER cute, and besides what's a tote bag  except a pillow with one end open and no stuffing, right?? LOL

So I bought some really cute fabric remnants and then I thought "ugghhh tote bags have to have handles, I can't do handles" so I put the material back and was walking out of the isle when, and I SWEAR this happened (all the more reason I think the voice is my mom) my purse bumped a display a spool of large ribbon fell off the shelf, this was super cute ribbon that matched the fabric  remnants perfectly!! I was putting it bad on the shelf, and admiring how cute it was when DING DING DING, I realized I could use the ribbon as the handles!!! So I went back and grabbed the fabric.

I got home, pulled out my sewing machine and I am SO proud of myself because I made 2 pretty darned good tote bags!! They aren't perfect but they are cute and they will do the job! The remnant fabric I bought actually came with a total of 2 pieces of fabric so I can make 2 more bags, I need to go back and get more ribbon though because I only bought enough for 2 bags. I am so proud of myself I can't believe I made 2 tote bags! My mom would be so proud!

Here are some pictures of my accomplishments!

Here they are, I made these!!
I know one is longer than the other but its ok, it gives it character LOL

This is the ribbon handles! LOVE the polka dots! I still can't believe I did this!

This is an up close look at the fabric - I just love the swirls and polka dots!

The other fabric that I am going to use for the other 2 bags is really pretty too (see below) - I think I will get pink or blue ribbon for the handles although the green would be cute too, so would yellow and orange! So many options with this fabric!

So that's my DIY for today! Now for my quest! I am on a quest to find 3 - 4 personal CD players for my classroom that don't cost a fortune! I went to Wal-Mart and Best Buy today and the cheapest one I found was $20!!! Back a few years you could get them for like $5 each!!! I am desperate to find these for less than $10 each! Does anyone know where I could look? I think I am going to check out Big Lots tomorrow but I am not holding out much hope since they never seem to have what I am looking for. I just want the simple little CD player with the headphones.  Any ideas where to look??

Cooking With Books Linky!!!!

Recently I posted about my school doing after school clubs for all grade levels and I asked for ideas from all you great teaching minds out in bloggy world and I received some really great ideas! I am actually going to be hosting TWO after school clubs for kinders at my school. One is for littles who are struggling with letters and sounds and we will be doing an ABC club and the other is going to be called Cooking With Books. This one is the one that is proving to be by far my favorite idea but also my most challenging one as well. This club will meet once a week for 30 minutes and in that time we will read a short picture book and then make an easy snack to go along with it. I have been scouring Pinterest for ideas and have found some that are REALLY cute and easy but not nearly enough for the whole school year. SOOOOOO I thought this would make for a super fun Linky Party where we can all share some of our favorite snacks that go some of our favorite picture books!!! The only rule is that you provide the book name along with the ingredients and the directions for making the snack! That's it! If you have a picture that would be great but it is not required!

SO I will go first (obviously LOL) and share 2 of the snacks I found to be SUPER cute and easy to make.

1. Apple and grape cars to go with Go Dog Go

-Needed for each child

 1 apple wedge

 2 grapes

 2 toothpicks

 plastic knife (depending on the age of the children)

Directions: Either you or the child can cut the the grapes in half, to make the four tires, then they simply push the toothpicks through the apple at the front and back and stick a half of a grape on each side of the toothpick and there you have it! 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

2. Striped Hats to go with The Cat in the Hat

 - Needed for each child

  1 Oreo cookie (Double Stuff work the best)

  3 Red Lifesaver gummies

  1 plastic knife

*you also need 1 carton of white frosting, each child will get a small scoop to use.  

Directions: Have the students open up the Oreo cookie, they will use the side with the creme as the base. The child will place one of the gummies on the Oreo, then they will use the plastic knife to put a small amount of white frosting on top of the gummie, then place another gummie on the frosting and repeat the saw step for the third gummie. 

Now it's your turn!! Link up with us and get some great ideas for some super fun book inspired snacks!! I don't know about you but I am going to make a special Pinterest board to save all the great snack ideas we are going to get!! I can't wait to see what you all will share! I hope we get a LOT of great snack ideas!!

80 Followers! Time for a Giveaway!!

I can't believe I am at 80 followers!! I am so happy that so many of you have decided to follow my little blog and I want to celebrate!! SO I am giving away THREE items from my TPT store!!! That's right, if you win, you get to choose any 3 items you want from my TPT store! This is a 1 week giveaway and you have 3 different ways to enter!!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


I also wanted to tell you that I added a page to my little blog here that allows you to link up your blog to my page so I can find you quickly and so can other followers! Just click on the tab at the top that says Awesome Blogs and link up your blog!

I am off to visit my sweet daddy and you have some giveaway entering and linking up to do so everyone have a great Sunday!

More about Owls, my school clubs, and an Inky Linky

OK I am SUPER DUPER excited about the school clubs next year! Thanks to Stephanie over at MaMa Goose's KinderGarden (go check her out!!!!) I have volunteered to do TWO clubs for kinders! I am going to do an ABC Club where we will do a craft each week based on a different letter sound each week. AND I am doing, what I think is going to be a BIG hit (thank you Stephanie for such an awesome idea!!!!) Cooking with Books club!!! I am going to do a read aloud and then have the kids make a simple snack that goes along with the book. In order to tie it in to the Common Core standards, nonfiction reading, and text features, I am going to make a "recipe card" for each student to use as they assemble their  snack. Then I will keep those recipe cards and (as per Stephanie's idea) make them into a "cook book" that the child gets at the end of the year! So now what I am trying to find are super easy snacks to make and books that correlate with them so if you would like to share any ideas or pins from Pinterest that would work for this I would really appreciate it!!

I was asked about my organizational binder and thought I would answer here. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures but I can describe my binder. I use a 1.5" binder, in the front I put a zipper pencil pouch for money and small notes. My school provides us with a folder and a planner to put in the binder. They go right behind the zipper pouch. The folder has 2 pockets, one labeled "Send back to school" and one labeled ""Keep at Home."  I use the planner to write notes to parents and I use it to let the parents know how their child had behaved that day (I use a happy, straight, or sad face). Then behind the folder and the agenda, there is a pocket divider for homework. FInally in the very back there is a section for resources. I put a copy of sight words and anything else I feel might be needed for review or practice at home.

Next up, as I mentioned in my last post  have become OBSESSED with cute little owls! I posted pictures of my OWL Book cover and my table signs, then last night I created my reading rotation cards and the pieces that I am going to put outside my room welcoming my class to my room!

Check them out!!

Here are a couple of my rotation cards:

I made these in each of 4 colors - red, blue, green, and yellow.
On the one that says the group color,  I will write the names of the students in each group.

Listening/Computer rotation

Seat Work and work station

Here is my welcome display: The name is my 19 year old son's name LOL I want to try to figure out how to make this into a banner but I am just not that techy yet I guess

I am going to put each little one's name on a chalkboard

I'm not real sure I love the "banner" graphics yet,  I feel like they are too redundant so I may have to change them up a little.


Finally I am linking up with Mr. B's Beach Brains for his Teacher's Inky Linky. Its a linky party all about... teacher's tattoos {gasp} LOL

Tattoos aren't as taboo as they have been in the past and even though for years and years I said I wouldn't get one I did. As you can see in the picture mine is a yellow rose with a black banner that says "La Belle Vie" which is French for "A Beautiful Life"

I got mine in memory of my mom who passed away at the very young age of 54 years old. I was only 23 when I lost her and I had just begun to realize what an amazing woman she was. My mother's favorite flower  was the yellow rose, she always said "I would rather have a single yellow rose than a dozen red ones" so in the 20 years that my mom has not been with us the yellow rose has become our family symbol for her. Every major family event, graduations, weddings, births, etc a yellow rose is always included. All 4 of the girls in our family (we are a very boy heavy family) has a tattoo of a yellow rose. My sister and her daughter have a single yellow rose on their shoulders, my daughter has a yellow rose, and a pink rose (which is my favorite flower) on her foot, and mine is on my lower left leg.  I am going to get one more and then I am finished. My son is preparing himself to become a tattoo artist and he has designed my next one, it is a dream catcher with a yellow rose blooming through the middle. My father is in a nursing home and he is in the advanced stages of Alzheimer, so this tattoo is to honor his Native American heritage, which he was always very proud of, and in memory of my mother.  Here is a rough sketch he drew up for me:

Ok now it's your turn to link your ink! but there are a few ground rules:
1. Please use good judgment when posting pictures of your tat. If it's in a place where we have no business looking at it, then please don't. If it contains profanity or other vulgarities, please do not post it. 

2. Please DO share your pic and story as to why you got it and what it symbolizes. 

I need some ideas, oh and I have become obsessed with owls!

Well I am going to start off backwards from my title and discuss my recent owl obsession. OK since I bought the two cute owl rugs from target (You can see the post and pics HERE) I have seen SO many cute owl things! Then of course I open up my email today and get my Scrappin' Doodles weekly email and what do I see?? They now have some super cute owl graphics!! So I had to grab them and then I started making stuff. Unfortunately I ran out of ink (which ticks me off because I JUST bought new ink today - I need a better printer but that's a whole other post topic). Anyway I made some owl themed table signs and I made an organization binder cover and instead of GO books I am going to have OWL books and my awesome daughter came up with the acronym "Organized While Learning" which I LOVE LOVE LOVE. I also found a super cute owl classroom theme on TPT that has some cute owl themed name plates and a bunch of other stuff. I am not changing everything to owls but I am going to incorporate them into my "Cute" theme, since they are SO doggone cute! I am currently working on making owl themed reading rotation cards too. I haven't made them yet but will be working on them soon.

Anyway, here is what I have come up with so far:

My OWL book cover

My table signs. 

Ok now for what I need help with. I four out today that my school is doing a sort of tutoring program for all grade levels BUT they aren't calling it a tutoring program, they are calling them clubs and my principal wants every teacher to participate once a week and have a 30 minute before or after school club. The teacher gets to choose which grade level they want to work with and they get to choose the type of "club" they want to have. They want it to be a FUN 30 minutes that also has the kids learning (obviously). The suggestions were like a book club, learning games, or a smart board activity club (the upper grades have smart boards). So I want to do a Kinder or 1st grade club for either reading or math but I can't think of anything super cute and fun to do for my club. I don't want to get stud with a boring club so I was wondering if you awesome bloggy friends could give me some ideas for a fun kinder/1st grade club that would be a great way for kids to receive enrichment or remediation.

SO Excited!!!

OMG I am SO excited!!! My baby girl (ok she's 24 years old but she will always be my baby girl) received a job offer today for a kindergarten position!!! She will be in her 2nd year of teaching and her and I will be teaching the same grade level!!!! I am SOOOOOO super psyched about this!! She is such an awesome beginning teacher and I can't wait to share ideas with her. She got to see her classroom today and she called and was saying "Mom, it's SO big!!" LOL her 1st grade classroom at her school last year, was really tiny so we had to get really creative in setting u her room. She said "You are going to have to come down again and help me set up because its so big and it's kindergarten, I don't know how to set up a kindergarten classroom" She did her student teaching in 1st grade, then when she moved she taught pre-k at a preschool, then last year she taught 1st grade at K-8 school. She is SO excited too. She would have liked 1st grade again because she has more experience but she also has her  momma who has taught kindergarten for 9 years.

Ok another thing I am excited about is this giveaway!!  Mrs. I's class is having a giveaway! She is giving away DeeDee Willis' complete writing workshop set!! I really want to keep this to myself because I really want to win but I figured I would be sweet and share it with you all! Head on over to her blog and check it out! OH and hurry because it ends tonight!!!  http://mrsisclass.blogspot.com/2012/07/time-for-giveaway.html