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Friday, December 30, 2011

Goodness Golly!!

Where has my vacation gone??????????????????  If the good Lord wanted to bless me with a snow day when school returns so I can get a little vacation in, then I would be ever so appreciative.  Yeah, I know, school hasn't started and I'm already ready for a vacation.....but let me tell ya....it it CUH-RA--ZY during the holidays (not to mention silly me thought it was a great idea to be gone the week before on vacation).  Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels that this has gone by SUPER UBER fast!!

Okay, I told y'all I was  working on several things for when school sneaks up on me on Tuesday...so here's a quick peek at what I posted in the teacher store. 

You can click the picture to go to the store, if you'd like.

I also have a freebie for ya...nothing fancy---but I hope my kiddos enjoy doing it.  You can click the picture below to grab it....just remember I feed off of your comments (well comments and chocolate--I like them both!)  





Thursday, December 29, 2011

Wowie WOW WOW

I said that in my Junie B. Jones voice too....don't y'all have your own voice for when you're doing read alouds for her?  I'm not sure if my voice changes as much as I "hear it in my head".  Wow, typing that makes me sound mental, but hey, don't judge! :) 

Thank you all for the great comments yesterday---it made me feel all giddy inside! I LOVE making things to share with other people.  When I was living at home my mom used to say it was kind of a selfish thing....she too loved making things for other people.  She did it because it made her feel good! HA!  If I could only be half way like my momma.....she was an amazing woman! 

AND (I hate sentences starting with and---but) I have almost reached 200 followers!  YIPPEE!!!  If you're reading my lil' ole blog and have found something useful and you haven't clicked this little button:


maybe you'd wanna help a gal reach 200 before 2012? :)  Okay, on with the good stuff!  When I go back to school--our Treasures series uses digraphs wh-, ch-, and tch.  I HATE teaching tch lol.. and of course if you're a Treasures user you know that there's not much in that manual to help with this.  I made up a sort (have I mentioned that I love sorts?) using those digraphs.  You can click the image below if you'd like to grab it.

If you borrow, it would be sweet
if you left a comment as a treat!





Ohh and I posted a little in my TPT store last night.  IF you'd like to take a look, here's a peek.  Hopefully if you click the link it will take you to the store.  Blogger and I sometimes have issues with each other---he doesn't always do what I tell HIM (yes, I've determined it is male, gives me too many hassles to be female lol) to do.





~DeAnne~

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Breaking Blogger Etiquette- BUT

It's been so long since I've posted a freebie, I feel like it's alright...right? I feel like I'm finally catching a breath---for now...but I'm one of those people who believe that the tree is supposed to stay up until after New Year's Day.....so that means cleaning all over again....Ugh!  When will I ever get to sit around for an entire week...hey, I'll take a day that's okay too....doing nothing?  Isn't that what break is for?  Ohh yeah, I'm a mommy and a teacher---I don't do sitting around all day or my hiney gets tired!  But just a whole day on Pinterest would be ....wait for it...............Pin-tastic!!!!  Okay, my humor is kinda corny, but did I say I'm a teacher and a mommy? lol

I was thinking of all the things that will be coming up in the next few units at school, so I'm working on patterns with colors, shapes and numbers (as well as skip counting), tens and ones, verbs (past and present tense), long vowels (with silent e), main idea/details, predictions, 3 letter blends, digraphs (ch and tch)---as well as hoping to make some review centers too.  WOW--that's a lot! I think I need a blizzard snow day (and school's not back in session). 

I did go ahead and make up some journal prompts.  I am hoping to do an animals in winter unit with my kiddos, so some of the prompts revolve around that.  You can click the picture below to grab the word bank and prompts.

If you download, would you be so kind
as to leave a comment behind?




~DeAnne~

My 11 in 11 (Linky Party)




Hadar at Miss Kindergarten  and Kristin at A Teeny Tiny Teacher are hosting a linky party for the top eleven in eleven.  Here are my top 11!!


11) Favorite Movie I Watched:

The Adjustment Bureau--I just LOVE Matt Damon!!!   Here's a little description:  David Norris (Matt Damon) glimpses the future Fate has planned for him...and chooses to fight for his own destiny. Battling the powerful Adjustment Bureau across, under and through the streets of New York, he risks his destined greatness to be with the only woman he's ever loved


 10) Favorite TV Series:
This is hard because I really do love TV....after the kids are in bed, hubby and I like to watch TV together.  I would have to say that I have many I "HAVE" to watch.....but my newest favorite in the year 2011 is Two Broke Girls.  




 9) Favorite Restaurant:
My favorite restaurant is at Disney (go figure, huh?) I love the Crystal Palace.  It's pretty inside, has great food and who doesn't love Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore?










  8) Favorite New Thing I Tried:
This would have to be blogging.  I used to secretly stalk them--and now I've started my own.  I have to admit I still have a lot to learn, but the blogging community is AWESOME!!! 

  7) Favorite Gift you Received:
Going to Disney for Christmas!!  (Yes, I'm a Disney fan--and yes, it seems to be where we end up every summer for our vacation.---and no, I don't get tired of it lol)  But going at Christmas was a different experience in itself...as we've never been AND it has a sentimental story behind it.  When my mom was sick, she used to say that she'd love to take all of us (my siblings and our families) to Disney for Christmas (my Mom was also a Disney fan, but hadn't been for Christmas) but unfortunately, it didn't happen.  So I'm so thankful for my wonderful husband for taking us down--Mom wasn't there with us---but I know she was watching over me!

 6) Favorite Thing You Pinned:
I have not been on pinterest as much as I would like to be---and I know there are LOTS and LOTS of great ideas--but the baker in me is very VERY appreciative of this recipe for Butterfinger Cupcakes.  You can click the picture to see it on my pinterest board. 


 5) Favorite Blog Post:
I would have to say that it was the "mint to be plural game" that I made and posted about.  I had several comments and lots of hits on that post.  You can click here if you want to see it. 


 4) Best Accomplishment:
I actually sold items in my Teacher Store!!  I was shocked  ecstatic that things have sold. Thank you so much...you all are helping me with my clip art addiction! ;)

3) Favorite Picture:


2) Favorite Memory:
Wow....I don't know where to begin on this one.  When you have young kids, 9 and 5, everyday brings on a new adventure thus causing WONDERFUL memories.  I guess I'd have to say that this year it was surprising them with a trip to Disney (summer trip--because we said we weren't going).  We would give them clues (but they weren't great....for example, it's a state, it may be hot there or may not be, some people fly to get there, etc.) We were at the Florida Welcome Center (my kiddos in their disney shirts)---and they STILL didn't know where we were going.  It's a memory I will always treasure---it's nice to surprise them! :)

   1) Goal for 2012:
I have 3---
1) Make a new recipe a week WITH the family...whether it be a dessert, or a main course.  This allows more family time and my children at least try new things when they help make it.
2) Have more "dates" with my husband---married 10+ years.....and since my daughter has been born (and she's 9) we've not had much alone time.  Sad I know---but I always hated the thought of leaving my kids (now I'm ready for a break lol)
3) Continue blogging, sharing freebies, making things for TPT---all at the "teacher-y level"--now as for the baker in me....be okay with taking orders from friends/co-workers.  I was asked this month for a couple cupcake orders and I HATED charging them for it----this bakery will take off some day! :)

There ya have it my 11 in 11!!!  Stay tuned, I have a January Writing Prompt and Word Bank to post soon! :)

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Exhausted!

So, Christmas vacation is to be a relaxing time, right????  WOWSERS!  I think I need a vacation to recover from my vacation.  Our last day of school before Christmas break was the 17th, and we got out early.  We left right away to begin our 16 hour drive to Disney World (yes, we drive--we are a family of four and my hubby and I both teach--therefore....we drive to save money lol).  We came back home on the 22nd--just in time to do laundry and clean--before I fixed Christmas Eve Dinner here for my in-laws.  Then we of course had Christmas here with my babies...they actually let us sleep in this year.  They only woke us up at 5:15...much nicer than last year's 4:45ish.  We went back to the in-laws Christmas evening to see my sister-in-laws and my adorable new nephew.  Yesterday was a purging day--and today I have appointments.  So...needless to say, I am POOPED!  Would I change it?  Absolutely not....despite all this craziness, we are making some wonderful memories. 

I don't have any freebies to post as of now---and I haven't made anything to sell in the store.  I see all these FABULOUS bloggers have been so great to get things made to post, I'm still trying to catch a breath.  I will share with you some of the great Christmas toys my kiddos got for Christmas though.  My daughter who will be 10 in February is quite a "nerd."  I use that term lovingly, of course.  She loves reading, science, and school---my son, 5, isn't as much into school, but he does love Science.  Allow me to share some of their favorite gifts---some of these would be great for the classroom setting.




Scrabble Scoop--The words are on the card for you to build.  Players choose a word.  Read it.  Then scoop for their letters as quickly as possible.  This game has several words on one card, so it can be modified for abilities. 




Snap Circuits (She asked Santa for this.  Yes she still believes, isn't that AWESOME?) Notice how happy she is for it too.  This comes in a variety of piece sizes.  We opted for the smaller, in case she didn't like it.  We may need to upgrade to the bigger set for her birthday.  Anyways--with this, you build things.  It all works around electricity--it's quite neat.




Dr. Dreadful Zombie Lab---he has the stomach churner too.  This is making edible foods in a gross way.  But baking is a science---and lots of stuff to mix ;)  (a Santa request)







Smart Lab Extreme Science (another Santa request)---this kit is AWESOME!!  Instead of having to buy the refill packs for the kit (like Dr. Dreadful) you can use your own kitchen supplies.  Granted, you can do the things without the kit---but when I told her that before Christmas, she kinda just looked at me like "whatever"





Solar System in my Room--I don't think he realized how neat this was until last night when it was spinning above his bed.  It shuts off after 10 minutes.  He came downstairs, and said it stopped working, so we know he was watching it.  We told him to push the remote again to get it to work.  He hit it 2 more times before going to bed. 





They also got these two plant kits:


This is Wild Science Future Farm.  (Click the pic to take you to Amazon).  This teaches you the life cycle of plants and the water system.  Kids will experiment with wick fed gardens, liquid nutrients, composting, planting, propagating and cloning. 






and



Sprout and Grow Window.  Watch seeds sprout and grow into plants and observe roots developing and growing in soil through the large, transparent sprout and grow window.  (click the pic to see it on Amazon)

 




Now, of course Christmas wasn't all science and such, they did get their requested video games. WHICH...I do believe you can learn from those.  My son enjoys Bowser's Inside Story for the DS.  There's reading involved with that (something he doesn't like to do)--and last night we were watching TV.  IT just happened to be on Jeopardy (something that he's never seen) and he said "Mommy, what's Jeopardy?"  He had read it off of the guide at the bottom.  Great, right? :) Speaking of my son..he DID NOT complain when he didn't get his I-PAD 2 that he requested from Mommy and Daddy.  I don't think he was horribly disappointed.  I worry about the years to come with that one----he's going to be a handful with all his "tech" toys. 

I hope you've all enjoyed your Christmas, and are relaxing as the New Year rings in.  So from my house to yours---Happy Holidays.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Thank you!

I want to thank Chrissy from First Grade Found Me for passing along the Liebster Award to me.

 I hate to make anyone feel left out---so, if you want to check out all the great bloggers that I follow look at the right hand side of my blog.  It only shows five, but if you click the see more---you will see all the wonderful blogs I've connected too, and I do read them and enjoy the wonderful things they share.  I also hope to add to that list as I come across other fabulous bloggers.  

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

A little of this--and a bit of that

What a busy week!!  Monday was a fairly normal day.  Tuesday I took a personal day to watch my daughter (a 4th grader) in her spelling bee.  She won---and will be representing our building in the district--competing with grades 4-8! YIKES!!  Then last night we delivered homemade goodie trays to our family members....now y'all know I'm serious when I say I like to bake :)

Then back to a somewhat normal day----only to come home and begin packing tonight as we are leaving for Disney Friday after we get out of school.  So----BUSY BUSY!!! 

This week we've been finishing up our geometry unit.  We made snowflakes for symmetry (I wish I had remembered to take a picture of our door).   We made the cute "Santa's Stuck" writing project.  I had them fold a piece of construction paper (lining up the corner to the edge---like a triangle) and then cut off the remaining rectangle.  This leaves them the square (for the chimney) and the rectangle (which they used for Santa's legs).  So we were able to tie math in---kind of----Then we made pinwheel poinsettias today as we wrapped up a Social Studies discussion on Christmas in Mexico.

So that takes us to tomorrow......which we will be playing Scoot for a review.  I made these cards tonight.  Hopefully someone else can use them.  If I don't hop back on to blog before Christmas-----I hope everyone enjoys their CHRISTmas.  Take it easy, enjoy your time off, and love the time with friends and family!!!

Click the picture to grab the review cards.  Please let me know if you download----and comments are always so nice!


~DeAnne~

Monday, December 12, 2011

I made it!!!!

I don't know why I was dreading this week.  My little kiddos were just FABULOUS today. They were back to their "normal" selves---still a little chatty, but---MAN much better than last week.  It had to have been that full moon that turned my little darlings into well-----not so wonderful little darlings.  I can't say anything bad about them---even as rotten as they can be at times---I am SOOO blessed with a great, sweet class.  I'll take chatty any day as long as they are sweet! ;)

My day went pretty quick for the most part--and guess what???  I took a couple pics...nothing major, but just wanted to show y'all that I do use the things I make in my classroom lol ;)  We started out our morning with our centers.  We played

OH DEER (with sight words) This is a variation to bang.  It's available on TPT, but I also made an S-blend version that you can get here. 


We put the words in a gift bag.  (*Sidnote*  This cutie belongs to a friend/coworker--when his center group first started playing the game he said "I HATE THIS GAME.....come to find out, he kept drawing the OH DEER cards)

They were also working on sorting statements and questions. They worked as a group sorting the ornament sentences.  Then they had to each choose one statement and one question to record on their paper with proper capitalization and punctuation.  Then I allowed them to draw a picture of it on the back. (This is in my TPT store.)


Some students were working on an S-blend review game.  It's also available on TPT with a few other activities.  They were to read their word card, and state the blend.  Then roll the dice and move that many spaces. 
My other workstation/center for this week is the "mint" to be plural game that I posted a couple weeks ago.  You can click HERE to get it. 

                                              We read  these two stories.....



If you've never read the one about how the reindeer got their antlers---it's cute.  It does mention about the Maker and Angels, but it's just a really NEAT story.  We talked about reindeer, and we viewed some pictures on the projector.  Then we made reindeer fact books.  I just love how one of my little girls decorated the front of her book.  Isn't it cute????

I just love these weeks where we refrain from the basal and spelling and testing and all that other garbage...I shouldn't have said garbage, I understand it's important, but so is just loving to learn!!   I've said it before, I need FLUFF in my life.  This is educational fluff though ;)
But my whole day wasn't all fun and games with the Christmas-y stuff---Bummers!  We are working on solid shapes.  I made a shape sort.  You can click the picture below to grab it.





But seeing that it is almost Christmas---here's a short vowel/silent e sort with recording sheets.  You can click the picture below to grab it! :)



We're almost there!!!  Here's hoping that tomorrow goes just as smooth (for my SUB) ;)  How are the rest of you handling your last few days?


Sunday, December 11, 2011

5....MORE.....DAYS.....

Is anyone else out there just trying to stay above water?  I just keep telling myself, "Self  ('cuz that's what I call me), just keep swimmin', just keep swimmin'...you're almost there."  It's gonna go quick, I know---but I have to have some things to keep my sanity while my little ones are learning and having fun.

I had so hoped to make many things to share with y'all for the holidays, but for some reason, by the time my evenings roll around, I'm doing good to make it upstairs to go to bed lol!  The holidays are so crazy aren't they?  I know in this household we've been busy all weekend....finishing up Christmas shopping, baking, cleaning--that I COMPLETELY forgot that this is Sunday and I have to go back to school tomorrow--and I hate to say "I'm just winging it"---but with the Good Lord on my side, he will help me through! 

Enough rambling on my part----I just hope that y'all aren't going as nuts as I am.  Here's a little something that may be of assistance for some math review. You know the drill (click the pic for the link) ;)  Spread the holiday cheer----leave a comment--it warms the heart! :)

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

OHH DEER!!!

WOW!! What a day!  I'm not sure if it's a change in the weather--we got a snow shower (not what I was wanting, as I'm hoping for Snow up to my--------2 hour delay! what did you think I was gonna say?-)--or what it was but my kiddos were CUH-RA-ZY chatty, which in turn made their teacher CUH-RA-ZY insane!!  Then, I come home and just wish for a few minutes of quiet, but when you have a 5 year old and a 9 year old, that just doesn't always happen.---SOOOOOO to clear my head, where did I go?  Yep, the kitchen!!  I'm making Cream Filled Cupcakes.  You can get that recipe by clicking the pic...  (Although, I use a chocolate buttercream frosting for the top)



But enough about my baking addiction---I made an OH DEER game for my TPT store with sight words, and thought---well, why not make it with s- blends for a review for next week.  You can click the picture below to get the game.




Ohh by the way, the few items that I do have available for purchase are 20% off for the next couple days.  There are enough activities to keep your firsties busy right up to the last day! :)

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Just a Sort Sheet--

Yep, no fancy title---just a quick and easy post from me to give ya a freebie if you'd like.  See, my school district uses Treasures currently.  Our spelling words are meshed into the phonics of the Treasures Reading....there's good and bad about the curriculum, but isn't there always?  Anyways--the sorts that the series uses are word sorts (which are great, don't get me wrong), me personally--I like to use pictures.  They have to be able to hear the sound and associate it with the sound skill.  Okay, I think I'm blabbering--and not making any sense...I'm running on just a few hours of sleep from last night---so I will just let you proceed to the clicking---You know what to do :)

**Oh, the pictures are doubled in order to help save paper.....

Sunday, December 4, 2011

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!

Come on y'all sing with me!! I need some Christmas cheer (in whatever form I can get it!)--This weekend has been downright Poopy!!  Gloomy, gray skies for the whole weekend...l haven't felt motivated to do much of anything.  Like I said in my last post---I love the white stuff that falls from these skies, but if it's not going to fall--BRING BACK THE SUNSHINE!!!  Anyhoo---I was looking at my December clip art from DJ Inkers and was trying how I can use it ALL!!  There's so many cute graphics for Christmas.  I tried to come up with a poem/story/whatever ya want to call it.  I thought this would be fun for my kiddos to read and color (ESPECIALLY the last week of school when I'm basically trying to stay above water with all the things that go on during the holidays).  This is the first time I've done a book---any comments? suggestions?  Can anyone use it? Let me know if ya can.  Click the first picture below. It's a 6 page story with words to glue and match.

 Ohh--I combined some centers in the TPT store....giving a discounted price! :)  Check it out if ya can--and if you purchase, or you've downloaded some of the freebies I have posted over there, I'd LOVE some feedback! :)

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow----

I'm not sure who is ready for snow more--my firsties or me.  Don't get me wrong, I love my kiddos, BUT there is something wonderful about a Snow Day! :)  I hope *fingers crossed* for one before Christmas break.  Hey, don't judge people---it helps those CUH-RA-ZY days at school leading up to break go a little quicker!

I found those cute little Snow Cuties from Scrappin Doodles and just HAD to use them to make some review work for my lovelies.  Here's a sneak peak of what I made:

 
There are activities for syllables, s blends, compound words, and part/part/whole.  You can click the pic to see it at my TPT store.  

Now, it is getting to be Christmas, and it's all about a time for sharing---SOOOO----here's a S- blend game called Four-in-a-Row. 
********You can click the pic to download it if  you'd like.....I would REALLY APPRECIATE it if you'd let me know if you downloaded and plan on using.  I see lots of download action in my stat counter--but not sure if it's just for a peek.  This will help me know if the things I am making are helpful to others too! :)  


Thursday, December 1, 2011

Cupakes, Christmas, Freebies--OH My?

So, for those of you who don't already know.....I LOVE BAKING!!!  I took a few different samples of cupcakes into work for my coworkers to taste test---and I've been approached by a few to purchase from me (they all know that I really want a bakery someday).  Picture it....I want a store similar to Barnes and Noble/Starbucks.......BUT it's filled with teacher goodies and fattening foods with coffee.  That's my dream anyways--CRAZY, I know.

Anyhoo--here are the cupcakes I made for one of my coworkers (who also happens to be a great friend---AND one my son's teacher--she's awesome!)  The picture doesn't do the cupcakes justice--but when you're up to your elbows in flour, you don't wanna dig for your camera. 

You can click the picture to grab the recipe if you like. 

Okay---I've been a busy gal tonight.  My upstairs has been cleaned, the cupcakes have been made, the mess from that has been cleaned, but then I thought---I was trying soooo hard to make a freebie every night leading to Christmas (well at least Christmas break for me)--so I did a quick label/diagram of a deer.  He's kinda cute---don't ya think?  Gotta love ya some DJ Inkers.
You can click on him to grab him if you'd like.  Ohh---one more freebie...I had someone ask/mention the homework Tic-Tac-Toe boards.  I made another one to send as enrichment for some of my firsties.  Here's the new Homework Board.  I do like using these, and I've not seen them for  reading/language....so if anyone happens to come across some, please shoot me a message.  You can click the image below to grab the Tic-Tac-Toe board.


Hopefully one of these freebies helped someone out.  So, am I good for 3 days or would you like another freebie tomorrow? :)  Let me know! :)

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