Save the Date(s): TPT Back to School Sale and others:)

A little birdie told me that Teachers Pay Teachers is having one of it's most amazingly big sales coming up on August 4th thru 6th. So although I am kicking my feet and screaming in my head "I don't want to go to school," it is that time again! My WHOLE store is on sale during the fabulous sale. Make sure to use the code below to rack up on the SAVINGS!! :-)

Plus I have so many things on my wishlist/cart that I need to get for the beginning of the school year to start off right!
Here are a few things on my wishlist...

 

 

I have a couple options for homework in my wishlist and a leveled one in my cart right now. I like both and one seems easier and one seems a little bit more differentiated (see below). PLEASE COMMENT: What do you use for homework in your classroom? Is it paper consuming or easily manageable each week/month by all involved?

Below are a few things in my cart:

  

 

I love the fact that this homework is leveled... The Kinder Life has the first 6 levels for free in her store! Our team is always looking for ways to engage students with homework.

Don't forget about the great Back to School Blowout Sale going on over at Educents. The sale will last for 2 more days with different types of bundles to get you ready for the new school year. Or for those already in school, it gets you pumped and ready to try some new projects with your kids.:)

Also don't forget about the Smooth Sailing Into a New School Year Giveaway with over 30 bloggers sharing their tips and freebies plus a GIVEAWAY per blogger!! Two more days to enter!


I will leave you with a newbie blogger to follow. The Kinder Life and she is the one who has created the awesome leveled and differentiated Kindergarten homework (above). I know she would love some followers, so make sure to stop by.:)
Enjoy!

What "technology" do you use? Make sure to comment and enter!

 I want to know what technology you use in your classroom. The technology I am speaking of does not need to be plugged in and is not a computer. If you name your technology and leave your email you have a chance to win my newest product, Farm Detective: Sight Words Edition. Make sure you visit my post {here}.

Yesterday's training led me to visit the session called Make n Take with the Bag Ladies. I had never heard of them and was interested in what I could make that I could use in my classroom. Boy did they squish a lot of projects into a 3-hour session!! Check them out if you want to know how to truly use those extra grocery bags you have lying in your house... other than using them to put kids work in at the end of the school year! They are on Pinterest if you want to check out their projects and click their logo to visit their store.

I was checking in at Blog Hoppin' for Tuesday's topic on Classroom Tours. You should check out those who have linked up and get some good organizational ideas. Or even just some rearranging ideas that might need a change of "scenery" for this upcoming school year. I have not been to my classroom yet... we didn't even know we could go in. But speaking with our awesome school secretary yesterday I found out that I could have been going since the beginning of August. Frustrating, but I couldn't really complain as I am currently in my 2nd workshop of August. So my plan is to visit my classroom next week... hopefully. So I am still in the planning stages of my classroom. I still have some things that I am undecided about (classroom theme, will I do monkeys and/or frogs this year, how many NEW things am I planning to do this year?) So make sure to check out the tour and explore other teacher blogger's classrooms.

I found a few new blogs while classroom touring. Check them out and show them some blogger love by visiting, following and leaving a comment to let them know you are a new follower.
Growing Kidlets
Kinder Colors

It is definitely great to know that your blog posts are at least read by 1 person.:) Thank you to my wonderful followers!

Also make sure to check out the Blog Hoppin' Wednesday post on Organizing for Instruction! This is one area I definitely STRUGGLE with!!!! Make sure to check out Bloglovin' for new posts on giveaways!

Giveaways Galore Yippee!

 How are you enjoying yourself today? Have anything planned for today or for the rest of the week? Enjoy it as July is determined to keep going right into August! Ugh, the summer is going by too fast! I just wanted to keep you updated on giveaways that I found. Don't forget to enter my 2nd Blogiversary Giveaway which ends on Friday.

While looking through Bloglovin' I noticed that one of the blogs I follow, Ms. Preppy has come back from her hiatus with stories to tell. But I was reading some of the comments and clicked on blog links that I don't follow. Well I found a few new blogs, one for me and one for my colleague Karmen's Kinders. But anywho, I found Down the Learning Road which is a fellow kindergarten blogger. However, she is having a giveaway for some neat teacher stuff...wait for it... keep waiting... almost there... did you peek ahead?
A TPT gift certificate and a Thirty-One Organizing Utility Tote! Swing by, say hello and join in her giveaway.

***Don't Forget my Freebie Finds tab... I've been adding tons of freebies as I write this post.***

Did you see the new collab blog out in Blogland? It's called The Teacher Tribune. And 20 bloggers have banned together to host a blog hop and a daily giveaway. The blog hop is for some cool freebies for K-5 grade levels. There is even a fun QR code hunt to make this hop more interesting. But don't worry if you are working from a PC and can't get the QR app, they have you covered too. Hop on over to the 1st stop and get the details.

 A Sunny Day in First Grade is having a giveaway for her Summer Fonts Pack! Don't delay, easy entries. Just scroll down to the end of her post and click on the Rafflecopter link to get started. Or read her post and learn how to make an Elmer from a milk jug.

 Do you like to reduce, reuse, recycle? Well this might be the linky for you... share projects or things you have made that you have reused. Remember storage (pringles can for games), water bottle bubble wands, etc. Make sure to link up at Teaching Ever After. Or just stop in and become her new follower.:)

 Talking about recycling, join Primary Inspired for her giveaway of Roaring Springs Products. I've never heard of this company but I am intrigued as there are notebooks out there made from sugarcane!! What a way to recycle. Stop on in and enter her giveaway, it ends in 5 days!


 Super Sparkly in Second shared a Flash Freebie that ends on Wednesday July 24th. Cute Money Hairs posters!

  And while there, I found a cute blog: La Senorita Creativa. She's a high school Spanish teacher, stop by and show her some love.:)

 Diving Into Learning is having a giveaway on Facebook. Just click on that blue helicopter to get started.

 Learning with Mrs. Leeby is having a HUGE 600 Fabulous Followers giveaway! Stop on over and enter to win some Amazing/yummy prizes!!

 Here's something that all Homeschool teachers (and others alike) have been waiting for.

   Make sure to stop in over at The Not Back to School Party Facebook page on July 28th from 6-8pm EST for discussions on all things homeschool, tips, freebies and giveaways up to $1000. Add that date into your alert system and make sure you aren't left out of the party.

 Feel like joining another linky party? As a teacher we always find out things for ourselves that we wish someone would have told us before we started. Well enter in this linky party hosted by Miss Kindergarten (look out for her Try It Free Tuesday too while at her blog).

Keeping it Krazy with Mrs. Berns in Kinder is having her One Year Blogiversary Giveaway. Stop by and show her some love. You can enter to win some great prizes... but hurry over because it ends soon!

 Hanging Out in First is having a Pin It to Win It giveaway. Head on over to her Facebook page and make sure you pin 2 of her products you want to win... and you get to pin it twice!

 Stop on by Mrs. Bainbridge's Class Facebook page and grab her latest Fan Freebie.

 Teach n' Tex is also having a giveaway to celebrate her 1st Blogiversary and for 20 years of being a Texan. There looks like some awesome prizes to win. Just stop on over and enter.

 

Kinder Doodles is having a 200 Followers Giveaway! Giveaway ends soon so stop on over and enter to win some awesome prizes.

Amy from 24/7 Teacher is having a giveaway... 5 people to win. You could be the lucky winner! Go on over to enter!

Shifting Teacher K-2 is taking giveaway donations to celebrate her 100 Followers. Donations will be accepted until Friday, so hurry over and share! I decided to offer a Winner's Choice item from my TPT. I love to share!


 Oodles of Teaching Fun wants to have a giveaway but she needs your HELP... stop on over and see what you can do.

 Here's a link to Busy in Kindergarten's blog... she also posted about giveaways but got a few that I didn't see yet.

Phew and if you have made it to the end of this post... Good because you have a chance for a freebie. I've been working on my Halloween stuff... yes I know. But with Halloween you have to start EARLY or its gone before you know it. So the first four people who leave me a comment with your email, I will send you a copy of what I have so far. I just need you to tell me more math activities I can add to it. And if I use your idea I will send you the final product when its complete. Okay, enjoy!

Liebster Award... Thanks So Much!:)

 Wow, have you seen the award that has been taking Blogland by storm? It's the Liebster Award! I was nominated by three fellow teacher bloggers. I was nominated by: Teaching with Giggles, Shifting Teacher K-2 and A Teaspoon of Teaching (stop by and follow them). I am going to try to combine the questions since there are 11 of them for each and round it out to 18 total. (Random fact #1: I like things to be even.)

A.

B.C.

Which button do you like? Leave me a comment.

There are a few rules for this before I can pass it on:
1. Link back to the blog(s) that nominated me.
2. Answer the questions posted for me by my nominator(s).
3. Share 11 random facts about myself.
4. Create 11 questions for my nominees.
5. Nominate 5-11 blogs with fewer than 200 followers.
6. Contact my nominees to let them know that I nominated them.

Bloggers whom I nominate:

1. My Kind of Teaching

2. Incredible K Kids

3. KinderKarla

4. Learning in Progress (stop in for her giveaway!)

5. Creating Kinders (a PreK blog)

6. Teaching 5th-8th  (a Brand NEW blogger as of July 6th!)
7. Oodles of Teaching Fun (5th & 6th grade)
8. Spunky K Teacher
9. KinderMyles 
10. Kelly and Kim's Kindergarten Kreations

 **Now remember I was nominated by 3 bloggers. I will only answer 6 of each blogger's questions or I would have a REALLY, REALLY long post.

11 questions for my nominees: From Shifting Teacher K-2

2. What kind of books do you enjoy reading? I enjoy reading romance, historical fiction and some teen series (Twilight & Hunger Games)

5. What is your favorite clothing store to shop for work wardrobes? Why? I am a tall person, so I have to go to New York & Company for my long work pants. Plus they always have cute tops too. 

6. If you could be on a reality show, what would you choose and why? I would love to go on Iron Chef, but only that I would be a judge and get to eat all the delicious food.

8 & 9. How many years have you been teaching? What is your favorite subject to teach and why? I have been teaching for 9 years but only 3 years as an elementary school teacher. I love to teach math. I'm a math person, always figuring things in my head. I love using different manipulatives to teach one concept. Math is so hands-on. (Random fact #2: I am a visual-tactile learner)

10. What is your preferred teacher duty assignment? I would prefer no teacher duty assignment but I love parent pick up duty. Our grade level duty choices are parent pick-ups, vans, or buses. Bus duty is always the worst because we have so many late buses! 

11. If you were on a desert island, what would you want to have with you? My Bible, my Mickey Mouse (Random Fact #3: I have had my Mickey Mouse for 22 years!), and my quotes journal/pen. 

Questions from Melissa at A Teaspoon of Teaching: 
1. If you could be any animal what would you be and why?  A panther. It's fierce and I can lounge around during the day or stalk prey whenever I want. (Random Fact #4: My favorite animal is a panther. Both my high school mascots were a panther.
3. If you weren't a teacher what would you be? I would be a computer technician/ writer. (Random Fact #5: I'm a published writer (just small time stuff))
5. What hobby do you have? I have a few hobbies: reading, writing, blogging, collecting rocks, coin collector (Random Fact #6: I collect foreign coins and state quarters... I'm still looking for a few D's)
7. What would be the perfect hours for a school day and why?  The times we have now except 30 minutes earlier both ways. My current school day is 8:30-3:30 but I wouldn't mind it being 8:00 am-3:00am. But not 7:20 because I've gotten used to sleeping in later.:) 
8 & 11. If you could go any where in the world where would it be and why? What is your dream vacation? I have a long list of vacation places and they are my dream places too. I would LOVE to go to Cardiff, Wales (Random Fact #7: I am a Torchwood fan! Captain Jack all the way!:)), stop in at Cornwall, England to walk on water (Travel Channel episode), and visit the castles in Ireland. However my first stop in my vacation would be to stop in Germany to see my favorite castle Neushwanstein Castle. (Random Fact #8: I love castles, especially the fairy tale princess kind of castles.)
9. If you could win any prize what would it be? $5,000 a week forever from Publisher Clearing House

Questions from Tess at Teaching with Giggles
3. What is your favorite college memory? Getting my first my 4.0 and making Dean's List. Yes, I was a nerd. 
5. Have you lived in more than one state? Yes, I've lived in California and currently live in Virginia. 
8. Do you prefer hot or cold weather? Why? I would prefer the hot weather, to just be back in Los Angeles where the weather is nice year round. 
9. If you won the lottery what would be the first thing you would buy? My dream car! And maybe some stick shift driving lessons. 
10. What is your dream car? I want a black Audi S (something... anything) or a Chevrolet Camaro only I want it to be purple and black. 
11. What is something you never leave home without? My iPad, it's good to have around when you are waiting for something or need directions. 

*Most of my 11 Random Facts about me were in my questions but I will name them again. 

1. I like things to be even.

2. I am a visual-tactile learner.

3. I have had my Mickey Mouse for 22 years. He's has only needed major surgery once!

4. My favorite animal is a panther. Two of my high school mascots were a panther.

5. I am a published writer (not counting blogs, but small time)

6. I collect foreign coins and state quarters.

7. I am a Torchwood Fan, Captain Jack all the way!

8. I love castles, especially the fairy princess kind of castles

9. My favorite stores are Target, OfficeMax and IKEA

10. My favorite movies are Shawshank Redemption, Ever After and 27 Dresses

11. I can sit and watch House Hunters, Property Brothers, Love It or List It, and Diners, Drive-ins & Dives if they were on a marathon. I love them!

Questions for my nominees:
1. What are your classroom colors and theme?
2. If you could have a dream car, what would it be?
3. What is something you never leave home without?
4. What is your favorite season? Why?
5. What is your favorite TV show/series? What do you like about it?
6. What are some of your favorite blogs you follow?
7. If you weren't a teacher, what would you be?
8. What is your pet peeve?
9. What are your favorite movies? 
10. What is your favorite subject to teach?
11. If you could take a picture with a famous person, who would it be? 

 I am still collecting giveaway donations for my 2nd Blogiversary {here*-}. Check out the Freebie Finds tab for new freebies. 

A break plus lots of catching up to do! TOO!

  It seems as if it is pretty difficult to get back into blogging when you take like 3 days off. But alas, I needed to get back into the swing of things because I missed it. In my absence, a lot of giveaways have been going on. I hope you have at least found some to enter. Plus I even found some freebies.
 While I was "away" (only in the house, not touching the computer) I keep going over my classroom set-up in my head. I do also have a pencil drawn classroom too that I erase all over every time I find something in blog land I want to try. I should do it like Debbie Diller said and just use post its... that was last year's model. I want to revamp my teacher's desk... which isn't really a desk because I got rid of mine and now I share it with my small group table. I just want something functional that I will use. I am one of those people that find something to try but might have a difficult time sticking to it. Has anyone given up their teacher desk? And if so, how do you organize it? For those who still have your teacher's desk, how do you keep it organized? My main problems are where to put my stuff for the week, where to put/organize my originals and where do my kids turn in their work? I can't seem to use the Monday through Friday book box or drawer system, so of course my table fills up with files to copy. My kids last year did have a bin to put their work in, but I didn't check it often. And my originals got tossed wherever I could find a place for them... So any insight I would love!

 So on to my "likes" in Bloglovin'... I'm trying not to have so many pictures so it will not be EXTRA long as I have A LOT to catch you up to speed on (or rather to catch myself up).

Tax Free State List from Surviving a Teacher's Salary. Here's her tips about Office Depot.
**Be on the lookout for Tales of Frogs & Cupcakes 1,000 Facebook Fans Giveaway... might offer some flash freebies!! Freebies only are from 10am-1pm (CST)!

The Inspired Apple is having a Quick Friday Contest! All you need to do is answer her prompt: You know you're married to a teacher when... and she will choose her TOP 5 favorite answers and you could win one of the products from her TPT store, ends Saturday July 20th at 12am (EST).

My Second Sense and other bloggers have come together for another Christmas in July sale from July 19th-24th. I think this may be upper grade bloggers, a find for my upper grade followers.:)

 Linky Party:

How to Teach Phonics from First Grade Smiles. Link up and share how you teach phonics in your classroom. I know we don't all have the answers, but we're teachers and we can learn from each other.
From the Pond/ Frog Spot is hosting a linky party where you can link up if you are having a giveaway.

  Giveaways:

  Don't forget about Adventures in Firsties 100 Follower Giveaway. You could win lots of prizes, even something from my store. Giveaway ends in ONE DAY!

  Puddles by Miss Mandy is giving away over $500 worth in gift certificates. Found this giveaway on pinterest (go pinning!) But enter and follow so you may be a lucky winner.:)

  Learning is Something to Treasure is having a giveaway and you only have 2 days left! You can win her Making Words Mega Pack. Hop on over to her blog and learn a bit about how she teaches phonics in her classroom, enter the giveaway and grab her freebie!

Always an Adventure in Kindergarten (and other bloggers) are hosting the Dog Days of Summer Giveaway. Swing over to the blog post to find out how to enter the giveaway (Hosted by Teaching Blog Roundup) and make sure you come back so you can view the linky party for FREEBIES... Yup it's a FREEBIE HOP!! Woohoo! And link up your freebie too if you want.


 Lamppost in a 1st grade STEM Classroom is getting ready to have her 200 follower giveaway beginning July 21st-29th, there's a winner every day. So stay tuned... check out her Word Cheers in the mean time.

 Miss Third Grade is celebrating her 2nd birthday and 500 followers. Hop on over to enter the giveaway to win a birthday hat for your classroom.:)

 Adventure in Kindergarten is having a Flash Giveaway that ends in ONE day!! The winner gets a choice of word wall cards or word wall products.

 It's a Jungle Out There is celebrating a birthday and is having a HUGE birthday giveaway from July 18th-24th. You could win some awesome prizes (from SchoolStyle, KinderCraze, etc.)

 The Teacher Talk is having her 200 Followers Celebration giveaway... it ends in ONE DAY!!

 Maggie's Kinder Corner giveaway Chevron vs. Dots HURRY as it ENDS SOON!!:) Plus stop by for her Floor Numbers for lining up.

 Little Miss Kindergarten is having a giveaway and you could win a $25 MPM School Supplies gift card. How far can you stretch your $25? Giveaway ends in ONE day!

Hodges Herald is having a Blogiversary Giveaway where 12 winners could win and 1 person could win the Grand Prize of a custom Teacher Planner... oh it gets me thinking. Hurry up and enter as this giveaway ends in 1 day!

 Kristen's Kindergarten (look for Day 5) and Rainbows Within Reach are celebrating 5 Year Blog Birthday Bash. I have missed entering all week, but check it out and maybe you could be a winner of the grand prize. Sound interested? Well just click on over to find the details of how to enter!

  July Mystery Box Giveaway: You could win tons of prizes, see below!

Freebies:

 All Freebies have now been moved Here. I will be linking up freebies that I found out in Blog Land under my Freebies Finds tab from now on. And if you have an freebies you want to share make sure to add them there.

New Blog Finds:
Kindergarten Kel
First Grade Glitter and Giggles
First Grade Frosting
My Kind of Teaching (a 2nd grade blogger, who's now a 4th grade blogger)
Growing a Teacher

I'm playing Catch-Up!

 I am back from my mini-vacation. Technically I came back yesterday but I went straight to sleep upon returning home. I was exhausted! Boo rain!! Anywho, I went with two of my friends to see TRAIN, Michael Franti & Spearhead and Gavin DeGraw in Virginia Beach on Thursday! The wonderful blessing was that the rain held off during the concert:)

 So I missed quite a few things in blogland while on "vacation". But you just have to take that step away sometimes, but now I am playing "catch up". I just wanted to share some of my findings.

I found a new blog... Owl-ways Be Inspired... it's a blog for 2nd-3rd grade. But all the other grades are welcome to follow as you can always find something we can adapt. :)

Fran from Kindergarten Crayons... LOVE HER! She has offered one of her Common Core products as a FREEBIE! Stop on over and show her some love. 

The Teacher Desk 6 is having a 100 followers giveaway... She is technically a 6th grade blogger but I donated a Winner's Choice of 1 item from my TPT store and so did many other bloggers. So hop on over to her giveaway and enter to win.

Have you read Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons to your kids yet? Well you should as it is a cute book about numbers and subtraction. Hop on over to A Teacher's Touch for a freebie activity you can use with the book.

 Found another new blog: First Grade W.O.W. Check it out as she has many great/fun ideas and lots of neat freebies!:)

Sara from First Grade Funtastic is having a Happy Birthday Pack Give-Away which ends in 2 days!

Karen at Adventures with Firsties is collecting giveaway donations until Sunday July 14th. So if you want to participate, swing by her blog and begin your adventure. Remember that I am also collecting giveaway donations {here} if you want to participate too. I will be collecting until Sunday July 21st! 

Lots of giveaway goodies to win over at Tiny Toes: Tiny Toes 250 TPT followers giveaway! Grade level goodies and even a giveaway to win just clip art. Head on over as this giveaway ends in 4 days!

Zip on over to Freebielicious! 

  

First Grade Critter Cafe is finishing up the last of her giveaways for this week with a final giveaway to win lots more goodies.

 Definitely make a trip over to Surviving on a Teacher's Salary. She posts daily about deals and savings we teachers need to stretch those paycheck dollars. Currently she has the bargins for Staples and Office Depot posted under her Hot Deals section.

So I missed Favorite Pins Friday but you can check out other bloggers and their favorite pins (click on button). But I thought I would share a few of my pins from this week.:

 Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies

 Vistaprint postcard ideas. A good idea for letter or postcard exchanges

 It makes me smile.:) 

 More uses for paint samples! Plus if you click on the picture you will find more ideas for guided reading!

 Click on the picture to visit the post and download the poster.

Enjoy!