It's Back to School and a Glam Giveaway!!

I have to say...let the lamenting begin! Summer went by way too fast! I am not ready for summer to be over. I want to enjoy summer a little bit more and be with my two munchkins (who do drive me crazy as I type with their constant getting up 500 times before they go to bed only to have the nerve to tell me they are tired the next day!!!) a little bit more. I want to sleep in and enjoy my day with nothing to do and be in my pajamas and if I don't want to do my hair and make-up then I don't have to kinda days!!! Waaaaaa!!!! It really was my most unproductive summer ever. And that is ok! I have a very Type-A personality where I work-work-work and don't let it go but after this past school year, I was just pooped! I have been creating here and there and have gone to my classroom a few times to unpack but not like I used to. I used to be really obsessive (still am to a certain degree) but in my old age these days I have had to let it go a little. Some pictures of my summer lovin' highlights:

(Thank You KG Fonts, Mrs.RussellsRoom, FDS ClipArt) 

I officially don't start back until Tuesday but I have been busy getting some things ready for my room!

This cute little basket will be hanging from my lantern to make my hot air balloon!!

My tornado for my reading corner. I am going to buy some silver thread to wrap around it so that it looks like it is whirring around. I really do not want to put lights around it because I don't want the fire marshall up my grill over it! I plan on hanging some book jackets from the ceiling and will title my reading corner: "Get caught up in a good book!" 

Chevron border for my bulletin boards! Can't wait!! 

Lastly, I already bought the tissue paper and need to start making these this weekend although I am not sure where I can buy brown tissue paper!

I also have my mini-Emerald City bulletin Board ready to put up in addition to laminating my Wizard of Oz classroom set! I might have had a moment of insanity when I decided to to a re-do of my classroom but I am the type that when I do something, I need to go all out! 

Have to admit that I am a little scurred to laminate myself for the first time but I gotta do it... before Friday 'cuz that's when Meet the Teacher is! Speaking of Meet the Teacher....got to thinking what I was going to wear! 

As a mom now I really don't buy too much for myself as far as clothes. The minute Gabriel was born I pledged that he came first and that was it. No more mani's or pedi's. My kids came first and honestly right now, I really don't have the extra money for clothes for me! One thing  I refused to give up was my hair and make-up as evidenced by my counter! Don't judge the messiness!!

I LOVE MAC make-up!! These are some of my favourite colours!!! 

Yep... I have more make-up wedged in the back!!! I really need a make-up organizer! 

These are almost all my products! Brian's has just a little space off to the left! 

I will not even go into my closet because that is another hot mess.Brian gets upset because I have a lot of clothes-- mostly dresses and some are just very teacher-ish! Like I said, right now I don't really have the money to buy some new clothes as my money has gone to my kids or school supplies for my classroom. Or some clothes I've had for years, like since I started teaching 10 years ago and some pieces I just got a few weeks ago when I found a great new online boutique that has got the CUTE-EST clothes ever!!! I admit that I am a purse whore (I love purses!!!) first then a clothes whore second--if only my thighs and spare tire would accommodate the clothes I WANT to wear versus the clothes I can wear! LOL! Luckily, I found this dress while browsing online:

Totally fell in LOVE with it! And I fell in love with the store, too! This is the Shea Dress. I have a few other dresses, too but this is my favourite!

I'd like to say that some of my hard earned TPT money went to purchasing groceries and such-- it did! But some of it went to some cute outfits from here! Ha! I even got a cute infinity scarf as a gift from buying a dress from them! They are fabulous and the owner is the sweetest!!! So, teacher friends, I'd like to help YOU out with a Back to School Glam Giveaway!!

(Thank You KG Fonts, Mrs.RussellsRoom, Lovin Lit, KPM Doodles )

Sass My Style Boutique has offered to give a $40 Gift Card to one lucky teacher for Back to School! And you can choose any 3 items from my store for you, too, to help ease your prep for back to school! Just enter the Rafflecopter below! Teachers are important and we love new clothes and new teaching supplies, too!!! 

Best of Luck to You! Winner will be announced on Saturday, the 17th once the twitching from pre-planning week has gone away! LOL!!  

Have a great week! 

Feeling like Henny Penny!!!

So, this is what it looks like outside my window right now and I hear the howling of the wind! Zoinks!!! Is all I can say!!!

It's a typical Florida afternoon! Rain, rain, rain!!! The crazy thing is that it's been dark like this for an hour and just howling winds! Scares me to death. I mean, I am indoors but it is hurricane season! It reminds me of one of my favourite Golden Girls episodes... Watch it!!!

I know there is no hurricane a-comin but it looks a-like it!! But as Sofia says.. I digress! So my topic was going to be about character ed but I got a-sidetracked by the sky!!! LOL! I sadly counted how many vacation days I have left (I depressed myself! I know that some of you are back and I am sorry!!!) and I realized that I needed to start getting my butt in gear because

1. I have 21 days left (that includes weekends)

2. I am slow and methodical (aka perfectionist, OCD)

3. Ok, ok... I have ADD when it comes to the hateful task of unpacking my room when I just packed up the stupid thing like 2 months ago!!! 

I started thinking about what needed to get done and then I started thinking about all that I do in the beginning of the year and one that I touch on through the years is character ed! Character Ed is so important! I find that more and more children are in need of just basic social skills! Can I get an amen? It is sometimes appalling to me to hear how they interact with each other in times of conflict; although yes, there are those times when my eyes well up with tears when I hear them being so sweet and kind to each other. So I decided that since I was doing a new theme to my room this year (Wizard of Oz) I decided that it would also be a good theme that I could teach character ed lessons with, too, since each of the characters possess those qualities and traits that carry them through the book/movie. For example, Dorothy is trustworthy. Lion is Brave. Wizard of Oz is respected and respectful. I just fell in love with the idea. Thus my newest creation!

I LOVE this set! It has character ed posters, a student book for reflection, character ed BRAG bracelets (these are my FAVOURITE!!!!! You give them to your kids each time they show you their true character of trustworthiness, respect, etc...!), and I added bucket fillers just because I thought it kinda goes along with it! Plus it goes well with my Wizard of Oz decor!

I am all about matching!!! Haha! And even if you weren't interested in Wizard of Oz, it's just a great mini-unit for character ed! In fact, I left a little FREEBIE for you! Click on the cover page of my newest unit and it will take you to a sampler set of my newest unit! Please leave some love on my blog if you download it and let me know what you think! 

Have a great week! 

(P.S.) Now it's a-raining!!! 

Wizard of Oz Decorating 101, Giveaways, and a Freebie-- Oh My!!!

Guess what I did today...Stayed in my PJ's ALL. DAY! Why you may ask... Well...

1. It's Summer!!

2. I Can!

3. I have OCD-- BIG TIME!! Ask Brian... He'll complain  tell you!!!

4. (This is tied into #3)-- I was working on my decorating packet for my Wizard of Oz room and couldn't stop!!! 

Now, I don't know about you but I am the kind of person that once I start something that is really important to me I have to finish it through to the end. Come hell or high water, I am finishing it! Well, I did finish it. Most of it. Part 1 of it. The Bulk of it. I have a few ideas I want to finish but after working on it all day, I think I am done, plus I need a mental break now! 

Check it out!!

I am going to upload it to TPT tonight! But before I do... I'd like to offer it to you as a giveaway! I've seen some new pinners to my "Wizard of Oz" classroom decor board and if this is something that you are interested in, then this is the perfect starter decorating pack for you!!

There are 3 ways to enter! Click on the Rafflecopter below to enter!The Giveaway Ends Tuesday, July 16th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is also a way for me to celebrate my over 100 Fun, Fabulous Followers! I decided to do something simple and easy! So, I am giving away a $15 TPT gift certificate along with my classroom decor packet! I think simple is better! 

Speaking of Giveaways...my dearest bloggy friend, Tamara at Mrs. Russell's Room

is having a One-Year Bloggaversary Celebration!! This is a blowout of a celebration where everyday you are a winner!!! Check her blog out to for great resources! She is the sweetest and has some really great ideas! Remember to leave some love for her if (or any blogger! It's the nice thing to do!) you download some of her fabulous resources! Tomorrow will be K-2 Math resources, Thursday will be K-2 Unit resources (I will be featured in this giveaway-- Look for my Surf's Up Unit! It's Totally Awesome!), and then Friday is Back to School Resources. Click on her button to take you for there for more information and to enter!! And lastly, a FREEBIE for you! This freebie is only for FB Fans! Go to my First Grade and Flip Flops Facebook page and click on the Fan Freebies Page to download:

Make sure you "Like" my page to get your Freebie!! 

Thanks again! Have a SUPER DUPER Week!!