Word work, goals, and more

Oh holy moly I am so glad it is Friday... I woke up this morning, and I said "Wow.. it has been quite the week." My kids did a Thanksgiving activity since it's around that time :) I found this turkey clipart on google, and just used it how I wanted to; for the kids to write what they are thankful for (very basic, but reflective when we talked about it).  I also let them glue on cute googly eyes :)

 

 

After Thanksgiving, Christmas is coming!! I am so very excited :) I already started decorating my apartment a teensy bit.. I found this cute snowman sign to hang up on my front door at the Dollar Tree - you really can find the cutest things there, especially for Holidays!!!

 

I also have pictures to share with you from my word work of my students...

I bought this set of stamp markers, and it was probably like 3-5 dollars at Walmart with alphabet stamps and other fun cute pictures... the only negatives: sometimes the stamps can come out messy, and they are really, really small! I still LOVE my big stamps from Really Good Stuff, and still will always choose those over this set, but at least it's another alternative for OLDER students.. definitely too small and messy for younger :)  Below are pictures of the Really Good Stuff stamps that I absolutely love.

Tip #1: After using stamps, make sure your students use a piece of paper to "blot" the stamps to make sure that there is no ink left on them. It will save your stamps and your ink pads from getting ruined  :)

Tip #2: When using the new marker stamps I purchased, make sure you use thicker paper or cardstock because it will go through the paper! :)

Another tip I have is for students to be creative and have fun with their word work... I always use dots on all of my writing and one of my students displayed the neatest writing with "dot" colored letters :) Love it!



 



Okay I did terrible on my goals... I did eat better but I only got to exercise twice this week, not three times.  The only goal I really got taken care of was to clean out my pile of clothes.  I have been very stressed lately and I am pretty sure I did not give myself anytime to relax every day.  Except during my favorite show, X Factor.  I don't have cable (to save money) but I do get the lower channels, so X Factor is pretty much the only show I follow right now.. how the times have changed! When I was younger, I never missed one of my episodes ever in all the 5-10 years they were on.. it was sick.  Some favorites I had were One Tree Hill, Real World/Road Rules Challenge, and things like that.  Oh, memory lane!! But anyways, on X Factor I do have many favorites that I am passionate about, but my favorite since the beginning has been Carly Rose Sonenclar. I am so glad the audience agrees with me and votes for her every week.  I'm such a dork, but I love her!!!


 

I am exhausted and it's only 9:45pm... I have to wait up very early to help set up for my school's Vendor Show.  I live at school each weekend it seems too.  I did make cute signs for the Vendor show though! I just need more free time, that's all.. hopefully I will get it during Thanksgiving!

Take care everyone!!

 

PS-THANK YOU FOR VOTING FOR ME FOR THE MARY KAY CONTEST! Out of thousands of people, I was voted into the TOP 100 FINALISTS! So thank you very very much :) 



Motivational Monday and Goals Linky

Hi my wonderful teaching friends! How is everyone?  I had a wonderful birthday filled of TONS of love from my friends, family, and Mike... I am so gosh darn lucky, I really am XOXO

I know it's not Monday, but it sure feels like it since I had yesterday off... So I am linking up with Sara over at Smiling in Second Grade and Kimberly over at The Learning Tree for their Motivational Monday!! :)

 

When I saw this quote, it really hit home to me, because I am definitely an overachiever and always try to do EVERYTHING and be superwoman, but I just have to remember to be the BEST person I can be :) 

 

Life is too short! And how cute is this puppy? :) You DESERVE to be happy and fill your heart with love and happiness rather than waste it on hate and complaints.

 

 I like this picture because it reminds me of how great I feel when I accomplish things.  Right now, I want to accomplish my goals with teaching and losing weight, but even more, making more time for myself.

 

 Haha how cute!! For my entire life I depended on others for my happiness, but you have to remember that you can be your own hero too!  You can be independent and make yourself happy too!

Well, that's for my Motivational Monday (Even though it's Tuesday!) I am still feeling motivated soo...

I am also linking up with Jenn over at Party of One and Jessica over at Fantastically Average.. but have you seen Jessica?! She's such a cutie, definitely not average! I am a new follower of Jenn and Jessica, and found her through my amazingly wonderful bestie, Sara!! Love her! This is my first time linking up with Five for Five goals, but hey, it's never too late to start...

So here goes my list!

1.) For this week I will eat healthy every day in the morning and in the afternoon, and I will also make 3 out of 5 dinners healthy and NOT EAT OUT! :) I need to do this for me, and also throw in exercising at least 3 days this week. Insanity, here I come!

2.) Clean out my clothes that are scattered in my bedroom.  There is a huge pile that I pick through and leave a mess (which is sooo not me) so my goal this week is to clean it up!

3.) Another goal for me is to read. I need to find a good book for me to pick up and start reading in my "free" time.  Even just to start one, it will be good for me to get back into the enjoyment of reading.  I am open to suggestions!

4.) Try something new with my kids...whether it's a new art project or game or way of teaching, I am switching it up this week.

5.) Last but not least. it's actually most important, I need to at least find a half hour a day to RELAX.  I literally never do, and don't remember the last time I have (which is why my back and neck ache from knots.. my massage therapist told me she has never in all her career seen the pain and knots in me!) so that is important for me to do. RELAX!

Wish me luck!! And don't forget to link up! :)

My Birthday

Ahh I am so excited that it is my birthday today :) (Mostly) everyone loves their birthday! I turn 27 today, which is not that old at all.. some people may think that is old that are around my age, but it's not! I feel older than I am, and really need to get back into eating better and working out but it's so hard.  Well anyways, enough of that.. I don't need to worry about that on my birthday! ;)

I haven't been able to really "blog" because I have been so busy trying to get all my work done and stay on top of things.  There is always "something", isn't there?
Well, I know Halloween has passed, but I wanted to show you all a picture of what I was for Halloween.. I was a Super Teacher! Pinterest/TPT inspired, the Kindergarten teachers were doing it and I became an honorary member since I really had no time to think about a costume.  Here is a picture of me and co-teacher Heather!! She was a cute CHEETAH and won the contest for Best Teacher Costume :)

Heather has been a wonderful person to work with this year.  We bounce off each other's ideas and do a lot of activities with our classes.  She planned a wonderful birthday party for me and a couple other students in our grades :) So much fun!
We made T shirts from an awesome Pinterest idea.. all you need is sandpaper and crayons, and then iron on your design, and it comes out AMAZING! I was owl inspired by The 3AM Teacher... I tried to draw a similar owl to her design here:

Here are a few other examples that our kiddies did! They absolutely loved it.  *If you do this activity, just make sure you press hard with the crayons so it will come out as clear and dark as it possibly can!

 

Look at these adorable cupcakes we had for a snack one day... I am sure the parent that made these found this on Pinterest, but if not, they should be on there! So cute... the only downside: the oreos get a tad bit soggy!

There are so many topics to teach in fourth grade, and it's a lot different than third grade.  I am really trying to do fun and creativity projects as well.  We did a small newsletter about current events and the students wrote about Veteran's Day, the presidential election, news from space, Kenya, and more.  The kids loved learning about it and writing a short paragraph about their topics.  For next time, I will have them include illustrations and longer paragraphs.  For this, I wanted it to go out before the election and Veteran's Day.

 

 Veteran's Day is very important to my students so at our Veteran's Day Breakfast on Tuesday, we are going to present cards and I laminated American flag hearts that they will hand out as well.  Our soldiers are such a blessing and such wonderful heroes.

Here are some pictures of my students' adaptation writing and drawings.  They did such a great job and they are continuing to edit and revise.  So important! (Also, the kids LOVE when I post their work on my blog!! It makes them even more proud)

It would mean a lot to me if you could vote for me for the Mary Kay Contest.. thanks so much!!!

And on a final note, I absolutely love my bloggy buddy Sara... she's the biggest sweetheart and so easy to talk to.  I am so happy that we have quickly bonded! I was so excited to participate in Sara's Giveaway, and I was so wonderfully surprised to find out I was a WINNER of her prize #1... I spent a great deal of time looking at the amazing prizes the teachers are giving away.  My kids are going to love the TPT products that I am going to choose!! Thank you again for this amazing giveaway, Sara!!

My boyfriend is the best; it was our 3 year anniversary a few days ago, and he gave me these beautiful diamond earrings and this beautiful lucky bamboo plant :) I love him so much!

Since it's my birthday (and I still love giving), I will give the first FIVE people that comment on my post, any TPT/TN product they want!! :) 5 is my favorite number, so please comment below with your e-mail and what product you would like!!!

Get Crafty This Fall

Get Crafty This Fall - Five Creative Projects For Little Fingers  By: Eve Brooke

Fall can often be passed over in favor of spring or summer when it comes to people choosing their best time of year. Yet it can be a wonderful season, with the vibrant colors in the trees and an exciting chill in the air heralding the start of the build-up to Christmas. Such anticipation and colorful inspiration can offer the perfect chance to get the craft box out and to get creating - who knows, you and your children might even be able to make a start on those handmade Christmas gifts beloved of Grandmas and Aunties across the globe.

Here are five easy, cheap and fun seasonal craft projects to try out this Fall.

All the leaves are brown...

Despite the song title, this is certainly not the case. Fall leaves come in browns, reds, oranges, yellows, greens - the colors are bright and the shapes varied. Go for a family walk when the weather is dry and gather a bagful of fallen leaves of different shapes, colors and sizes.

Stick your (dry) leaves onto a sheet of paper or greetings card to make a pretty natural collage. Or paint them on the side where the veins stand out and press the painted side onto some paper to make a beautiful leaf print design. You could even draw eyes, arms, legs and a mouth to turn your prints into cute leaf people.

Fruits of your labor

Celebrate harvest festival by making your own bowl of fruit table decoration. This craft activity can be tailored to the age of the children involved. younger children can draw fruit, or stick cut-out pictures from a magazine onto another drawing of a basket, or even into a real one. You could help them make a 3D basket out of some stiff cardboard and tape or - if you are feeling ambitious, weave one using raffia or paper strips.

Older kids might like to try modelling fruit out of clay or making them out of old material, stuffing and a needle and thread. This would make a neat present for an older relative, or it could help remind children to eat more real-life fruit and vegetables, especially now, when so many delicious varieties are in season.

Papier mâché animals

A messy activity that is guaranteed to have eager participants. This craft is versatile, simple and best of all, makes great use of unwanted printed material that would otherwise end up in the trash. Blow a balloon up to the size you want your animal to be. Then, mix up some wallpaper paste, or make a glue out of flour and water. Make sure it is really gloopy and thick so that the paste will penetrate the paper and stick the layers together.

After that, tear up little pieces of paper - you can use old newspapers, unwanted magazines, or those really annoying leaflets you get in the mail every week. Stick the little pieces to the balloon using plenty of glue - add four or five layers. Leave the model to dry before painting and adding little ears, legs, whiskers etc. from items in your craft box.

Sowing a seed

Pumpkins conjure up images of Halloween and warning soups that are perfect for a Sunday night supper in Fall. Yet their seeds can also be an extremely useful addition to the crafters inventory. Dry the seeds, carefully pierce them with a needle and thread them onto a string for an unusual necklace or bracelet. Seal some in a plastic water bottle and decorate for a fun musical instrument.

Other ideas include drawing or making a tree shape out of paper, card or felt and using pumpkin seeds as the leaves, sticking them in an attractive pattern around the branches. Or draw a big outline of a pumpkin on some paper and stick the seeds inside the outline to create your very own pumpkin picture.

Scrapbook success

Help your children remember a wonderfully crafty Fall by helping them make a scrapbook all about the seasonal fun you have all had together. You could decorate the cover with dried leaves, small pieces of twig or moss, or you could use crayons or paint to draw some seasonal scenes. Perhaps you have some neat photos of the children enjoying running through the leaves, or exploring a colourful woodland.

Once you have designed your cover, turn your attention to the inside, where you can get really creative, designing pages about trips out, seasonal highlights, such as Harvest Festival or Hallowe'en. You could stick in any drawings the children have made, or take photos of any 3D crafts they have done.

Hope these ideas have given you some food for thought - have fun with your your Fall creations!

PLEASE VOTE!!

Hello hello!! I have actually never participated in a contest like this, especially not a BEAUTY contest (crazy), but I have entered for the Mary Kay Makeover Contest!!! I would LOVE it if you could head on over and vote for me... you can vote up to 5 times a day (or more if you have multiple emails, wink wink), and the voting goes through November 6th through 16th... If you vote for me a total of 20 entries, I will let you pick any product from my TPT or TN store... if you vote 40, I will let you pick TWO products, etc. 

You are really helping me out, because obviously there are thousands and thousands of entries and there isn't a huge chance I will win, but the winner gets to fly to LA to get a makeover, but ALSO I would get $2,000 to give to any charity of my choice!! That would make me so happy if I could give it to people in need or animals that need love...the choices are endless! The winner is chosen solely by votes, so I appreciate all the help I can get :)

So PLEASE VOTE now until November 16th!! Every 20 entries, you get to choose ANYTHING from my stores!! :) Please EMAIL ME (boudls89@yahoo.com) to let me know how many entries you have done, and what the product(s) of your choice are!! To avoid confusion and tons of emails, you can wait until you did your TOTAL votes (For example, say you plan on voting 60 times (remember multiple emails will work!), after you vote for those 2-3 or so days, then send me your product list that you would like after you do ALL the voting). Love you guys!! Please share with your friends!!


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Currently November and Teachers Helping Teachers

I love Farley over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade :) She has the BEST linky parties, and I think I have done her Currently's almost since I started blogging.  They are fun, and a great way to meet new teachers and see what everyone's up to!!  If you would like to link up, click HERE to join in on the fun!!!

I am so excited for my Thirty-One Party today.. I have never thrown a party today, so I am hoping I have enough food and it will be successful! :) My anniversary is this Wednesday, November 7th and my birthday is Saturday, November 10th.. I still have NO idea what I am doing for either!! Ahhh, I better get on it.. but report cards have been driving me crazy (my least favorite time)! Any suggestions? ;)

On a more serious note, please consider donating any of your products to teachers that have lost during Hurricane Sandy.  My area was fortunate enough to not get hit, but many people lost so much.  Teachers helping teachers is very important, especially in a situation like this.  It is very easy to help and link up, so please check it out here!!! If YOU are a teacher that has lost teaching supplies and products due to the hurricane, please e-mail me directly and I will do everything I can for you. boudls89@yahoo.com