I've got something TOO cute not to share with you!!!

Face it, winter is here and so are ALL the Valentine's Day decor. While I am not displaying all my Valentine's lessons right now, I do have a quick center to share with you that I plan on using and expanding other lessons and centers on. 

When the time comes (later than sooner! LOL!) it would go great with this book:

It's the cutest story of a man who is trying to send a letter TO his Valentine/ It's written like the lyrics "Oh my darlin, Clementine" and the kids love when I sing it to them and after a few reads, they song along, too!

So, when I saw these mailboxes at Target I knew I had to get them! And hence my post to you!! I found them in the Dollar Spot at Target and there weren't that many left! Hurry!! 

I came up with this fun and sweet center! It's a simple homophone activity for the words to, too, and two! 

Anchor charts for display.

Two types of cards. One to use with the mail box and one set for a pocket chart/table top sorting. 

So that was my quick post! Would you like to grab that center? It's FREE until tomorrow! Click on the cover page above to take you to my store! 

It's CURRENTLY... January Edition!

I think I've done pretty good on my blogging! Maybe it's because I am home. Or maybe I am trying to hold onto my resolution! Anyhoo.. pretty proud of myself! Today I am linking up with Farley from Oh, Boy! 3rd Grade and her monthly linky party. I'm a tad late... I think I haven't linked up in a while and I am like 290 or 300 by the time I finish this post! So, let's go!

: 

Listening: Yes, to Snoopy! For like the billionth time! My boys love Snoopy and never fail to laugh at the same parts over and over again! I love the sound of their laughter; DON'T love the sound of bickering as to who gets to watch what next. I know some of you out there can relate!

Loving: Being relaxed!! Yes! I have to admit I am a workaholic. I am type A personality to a T and I never stop. I am even sitting here working on stuff before I started this post. I wish I could slow down time so I can relax some more and I wish I could slow down my boys growing up!! We had a great NYE together!! We went to a park downtown and had lunch al fresco! 

Thinking: Holy he%@!! I am 37 today!! Please don't tell me I look 37!! Today is my birthday!! I celebrated yesterday since my husband was home (he went to work today-- sadsville!!) and we had cake! That's all I needed!! 

Need: A Pedicure!! I've been wanting one bc I will be honest, I have horrible cracked, dry, heels! The kind that I know they cringe when they see. Hey! I say it like it is!! Brian and my dad say it's because I don't wear socks! Not so sure but I want pretty toes again!! It's a purely selfish need!! 

Memory: I am looking at my tree and thinking that I need to put it down. My motto is, We put it up together, we take it down together and reminisce about the ornaments we added and the moments we shared over the holidays! 

We go back Tuesday so I am excited to have a few more days!! I am working on posts that I hope you will always find more useful and come back to weekly. One of them I would like to try to do is "Math Mondays"! Where I share with you some centers and strategies for you to use and implement in your classrooms. Got any ideas that you'd like to see? I am thinking of a few.. Check out these cute $1 items I saw today at Target and Dollar Tree

Isn't this little mailbox the cutest??? Target has them. I bought 5 of them and have some fun ideas and centers to share with you!! Check back soon! 

Love these little boxes from Dollar Tree. 

I saw these gems at Dollar Tree, too! I have red ones as well. I love to buy little simple things for my class to use!!

Thanks so much for keeping up with me! I have a little freebie for you! I was working on a larger unit but got distracted... Click on the picture to download!

(this is just a sample page!)

Have a GREAT night! 

New Year, New You, New Me!!!

Happy early New Years!! Hope you are enjoying it with your loved ones! I for one, am sick AGAIN!! WTheck?? My Chalkie sister, Laura from Peace, Love, and First Grade  blogged about it on The Primary Chalkboard and I am going to really try and stay healthy for the remainder of the year. I usually don't get so sick but I feel this year has been my worse since my first year teaching-- and that was a LONG time ago! If you'd like to read up on some tips, please click on the Primary Chalkboard button below to take you there!

So, now the R word:

resolution: the state of quality of being resolute; firm determination; a resolving to do something; a course of action determined or decided on. 

Yes, every year I try to make and keep my resolutions or is that my firm determination and course of action decided on! I think I didn't do too bad last year. One was to create a teaching blog (I did!! You're reading it!) and start TpT (I did that too!!). I didn't quite meet up my expectations to lose that pesky 50 lbs but I think I lost 5 so I consider that a *small* victory. Was probably water weight but hey! Some of my pants are a tad bit looser! LOL! 

I am linking up today with another Chalkie sister, Jessica from First Grade Nest for her

My #1 resolution is to spend MORE time with my family! Sometimes I am sooo busy with school and being a mommy that I don't always get to enjoy them the way other people do. Does that make sense? I am the one behind the scenes making sure everyone/everything is taken care of that you rarely see me sit or eek!! get in a picture! 

Be more organized!!! Right now I feel like our house is in complete bedlam!! Toys are everywhere and clutter consumes me (obviously not the children or DH). I feel like our bedroom which according to Ty Peddington every time I used to watch Extreme Makeover Home Edition should be a place of rest, relaxation, solace. If you look at it now, it looks like a dorm room! We have papers, frames, kid toys...you name it! So I think that organization and maybe redecoration may be in order.

I'm hosting another senior intern this year. I am so excited to share this experience with her! I so know what it is like to be in her shoes and want to be as nurturing, helpful, and supportive as I can be for her. I want to set a good example of what a real classroom is like and the successes and challenges she will face in today's classroom. 

I am seriously thinking of becoming a Teacher on Assignment. I love to help other teachers and am creative and knowledgeable in my craft and feel I can really reach out to other teachers. Not that I don't love the kids!!! I REALLY do! They are what keep me going day after day; their hugs, smiles, light bulbs above their heads when they get it, tapping of their pencil when they are in deep thinking! Everything about the kids is satisfying to me. Now, if only the adults who make the BIG decisions about teaching were so easy... 

I would love to have an enjoyable, relaxing home and school life and still create for TpT! 

I have an Activboard and would love to create amazing lessons using it. 

Enjoy the little moments. Sometimes we say we are TOO busy but if you really think about it, if it's that important to you you'd make time for it and anyone! I need to enjoy more of those! Oh, and find better ways to save our money. Don't get me started on our grocery bill! 

Sweets!! or maybe less sweets. I gotta say, a Coke after a looonnggg day is fabulous when that carbonation fizzes my lips or that Reeses cup or five at the faculty meeting. Need to limit those. 

Indian food. One of my BFF's is Indian and I love her but am a little scared to eat curry. I ate it when I was younger but as an adult have shied away from it. So although I've *tried* it, I've yet to experience it as an adult. And I know that not all Indian food has curry! :-)

You know?? With my hubby as a pilot you'd think we jet set every where. Fact is-- we don't!!! This year will be our 10th anniversary. Brian said we are going to France! We shall see!! ;-)

If you'd like to link up with Jessica and this fun linky, please click on the pic below!

Are you also looking for other new blogs for ideas? I'm also linking up with Simply Kinder.

I am always amazed at the creative ideas teachers have and share! Please click on the graphic above to learn some new bloggers! I've already learned a few new ones that I really like! Don't forget to follow them! 

Hope that you and your families have a safe fun New Years! 

Happy Holidays!!

Happy Holidays everyone!! Hope that you all had a great holiday! As a teacher I must admit that I certainly love this perk! It's not the reason I became a teacher but I cannot say I do not enjoy having the time off!! My family and I had a great Christmas. Brian, my hubby, was actually home! That is rare for him to have any holiday off! We spent the day playing mahjong at my parents house!

Today is boxing day for my fellow native Canadians! My fellow Chalkies and I are having a Merry After Christmas sale! My store is 20% off! Stock up now for next year or grab some files for the upcoming weeks! Click on the poster below to take you to my store!

Happy shopping with no aggravation!!! I find that as I get older (next month I will turn 37!!!) I don't have patience for crowds. 

So, today was a PJ day! Sometimes, you just gotta have those days...or five. I really should get out but I was busy working on my new Penguins! Penguins! Penguins! unit! I just love penguins! There is something about those waddling cuties that I adore. It might be that I waddle or that I'm round, too, but every time I see them I cannot help but oohhh and ahhh!!! When we get back from break, we will be working on winter centers and then working on polar animals and penguins (I love teaching these topics!!) and plan on using my centers. Here is a peek of what is included:

I love the craftivity. It goes along with this book:

It is the cutest story of this penguin who is lost and this boy tries to return him only to find that the penguin is his friend! I love it. The illustrations are just too cute. So I made this craftivity to go with it:

It will take a good week to complete with all the pieces. Can't wait. Then in science I plan on using 

Here are two pages that are just examples from the book: 

These little books are great for comprehension, are rich in vocabulary and are high interest for our little ones. So excited for this! Although I can wait as I am enjoying vacation!! LOL! There is just so much in the pack that I cannot wait to use! Will post pics as soon as we work in it. You can grab this pack. It's on sale for $5.00. Just click on the collage pic above to take you to my store! If you'd like to win it... just go to my FB page to find out how (although time is limited!) Click on my button to take you to my FB page!

We are also working on non-standard measurement in math. This concept goes by pretty fast and I feel that most students earn mastery. Here are some great books that we will be reading:

Bookish Ways in Math and Science blogspot has some great links for websites to put on your students computers, too! Click on their name to take you to their link! You will be glad you did!!!

Additionally, I created a mini non-standard measurement pack to leave you with. These are all printables/activities that I will be using when I get back. Click on the pic to take you to my store to download: