Chevron Schedule Cards

As I was putting the final touches on my classroom before the students and parents arrived for the back to school picnic, I realized I could not find my schedule cards from last year! I am very organized, so I don't lose things!  (I bet I will find them tomorrow.....) It was a moment of panic- I couldn't find them or the file on my computer!  I went to Classroom Freebies, where I had downloaded them before and they were no longer available! Not that I had anything else to do, but I made my own schedule cards!  It ate up a lot of my time that should have been spent labeling and organizing the school supplies brought in by my class, but at least they match the other chevron items in my classroom and are the exact size that works for me! 

The schedule cards are available now in my TPT store. 

Good luck with the first day of school!  Mine is tomorrow! 

I have a Facebook page now for my blog. Please head over there and "like" it.  I plan on putting something special on there for my fans soon!

Back to School Sale!!!

Click on the image above to visit my TPT store. Don't forget to use the promo code to get your purchases 28% off! I know I will be stocking up on some things from my wish list! 

Enjoy this freebie. I have it printed and hanging near my behavior charts. The kids will say our classroom pledge each morning after the announcements.

Meet the Teacher

It's Teacher Week with Blog Hoppin'. Today's Yesterday's (yes, I'm a day late) topic is all about me!

1. I LOVE Christmas! It is my favorite time of year! I start listening to as soon as Halloween is over. Isabella, my oldest daughter, has totally followed in my footsteps!  She has been making her Christmas list all summer long!

2. My youngest sister and I look so much alike, people say hi to one of us at a store, thinking they are talking to the other one. She has been asked so many times, "Where are the girls?" (She has no kids!) Sometimes we will see a picture of the other one and think its a picture of ourselves!  We think it's funny!  I'm six years older than she is!

3. I am running the Chicago Marathon in October. I have never been sporty or athletic, but I absolutely LOVE running!

4. I was a five year 4-H member while in school. I have volunteered with my county 4-H program for the past 10 years as a project superintendent and club adult leader.

5. I married into a family of bowlers, but I can't bowl well to save my life! My husband has bowled several 300 (perfect) games. Me on the other hand, I'm lucky to get to 50!

6. I have a Chihuahua who has been my baby before I had real babies. He has been a faithful friend for over 11 years.

7. My sisters and I are painted on a mural on a building in our town!  We watched the artist at work on the mural one day and he asked if we wanted to be put on it! Back in the day when people actually carried around real photographs instead of whipping out their iphones, my mom had a picture in her purse and gave the artist a photograph of us.

8. My husband and I went to Disney World for our honeymoon almost 7 years ago. We can't wait to go back, but we do want to wait until the girls are a little older. (and taller!) After their wellness checkups, I text John to tell him how many more inches they have to grow in order to go on our favorite ride, Tower of Terror. Isabella is tall enough, but Olivia has 11 inches more to go....

9. I am a very healthy eater. I have been a vegetarian for many years now. I have given up soda and fried food for a year. But, I have a serious weakness for cotton candy.  I get a big bag each time I visit the fair. I'd hate to add up how much money I spent on cotton candy! Considering I go to the fair at least 5 times during the summer!

10. In addition to teaching, I work at a salon. I did hair right out of high school and worked as a hair stylist during college. I still work once a month to keep up with my loyal clients.  It's nice to have adult conversations after teaching kindergarten all week and being home with two little girls. 

New Teacher Feature

I am thrilled to be featured on Dana's blog, Common to the Core, as a new blogger. Still new to the blogging world, I am slowly learning the ins and outs of blogging. Blogging has proven to be so much fun-  I love sharing my ideas and inspiration with fellow teachers. And, I have to admit, it feels good to see that Bloglovin' follower number increase! :) Visit Common to the Core to check out my feature.

To celebrate this feature and to say thanks to all my wonderful followers, everything in my Teachers Pay Teachers store is 20% off until August 14th!

Five for Friday- 8/9

I love the Doodle Bugs Teaching Five for Friday Linky Party. Hop on over there to see what other bloggers are thinking about!

1. My niece Amelia

 I love my little niece Amelia! She is only two weeks old and sooooo tiny! (Especially when you see her next to my two girls!) I love that she is wearing a pearl bracelet!

Here is Isabella proudly holding her little cousin.  Olivia is very interested in her, but we have to keep a close eye on her because she pokes and prods Amelia!  My grandma, Mimi, is visiting for three weeks from New York. It is wonderful to spend time with her.

2. My classroom (is getting there)

I'm very excited about adding color to my classroom with these fun tissue paper poms. While I should have been organizing and setting things up, I was busy fluffing these decorations. (So excuse my mess in the foreground of the picture. And the background....) I am starting to stress about my room. But it's too hard to get any work done with a three year old "helper" and newly walking (but very fast) 11 month old! 

3. Fritz and the Beautiful Horses

 

Isabella is horse crazy!   (More of that below.) We read Jan Brett's Fritz and the Beautiful Horses every night in bed.  I love her illustrations!  Isabella recognizes that Jan Brett wrote and illustrated Fritz as well as Annie and the Wild Animals. I am impressed with her observations! 

4. Horse Crazy

 Isabella has fallen in love with horses ever since the fair. She is going to take riding lessons from a friend once school starts! My family has horses, but she seems to be a little intimidated by them. She wasn't afraid of this little guy at the fair, though!  

5. Olivia

 

 Olivia is so much fun! She is keeping me busy by walking laps around the house and getting into everything! She loves to eat and make a mess with food. (My Chihuahua Carlos spends a lot of time under her highchair waiting for scraps!) I love her smile and her little laugh. It is going to be VERY difficult leaving my girls to go back to school. 

Monday Made It and a Winner!

First I want to congratulate Sue Cahalane on winning my giveaway! :) She gets my chevron lesson plan book and 2014 calendar agenda.

Click here to purchase the lesson plan book.

Click here to purchase the 2014 agenda. 

I am really excited about my Monday Made It project this week!  

 I used a large mat (11 by 14 opening) from Michael's and my mom's Cricut to make this cute picture frame that the kiddos will hold for me to take their first day of school pictures. I seriously need to get my own Cricut! (Hint, hint, John, my husband!) This frame will be put to use in two weeks from tomorrow!

I


Thank you to 4th Grade Frolics for hosting this fun linky!

August Currently

 

Listening: I have become addicted to using the AOL Radio and Pandora apps. It's such a good way to find new music!  Apparently, I had made an Icona Pop station on Pandora the last time I used it because that is what started playing when I opened the app!  

 Loving: My husband took a vacation day today so we could have a family day! Our weekends are so hectic, so it was very nice to have a day where the four of us could spend time together.  We took the girls to Bellaboo's, and indoor play place for kids. There are different rooms with various activities. We spent a good portion of our afternoon in the dress-up room,grocery store room, water table room,

and the baby room.

 Isabella (aka Snow White) doing some grocery shopping.

 A happy Olivia playing in the baby room.

 Splashing in the water table.

Olivia started walking really well this week. She looked so 

silly walking around in this giant waterproof smock!

Thinking: I need to go to bed!  I know, it's only 8:30 on a Friday night! I am meeting at 5:15 tomorrow morning to run 20 miles.  I need some sleep!  The thought of waking up at 4 am does not sound to good right now... But I am excited to run my farthest yet during my Chicago Marathon training! 

Wanting: I want to go shopping! I love clothes in general, but I really love getting back to school clothes. My mom and sister were at j crew today and texted a taunting picture of the merchandise.  I have such a craving to go there and to the Banana Republic factory stores!

Needing: My classroom is in shambles!  I haven't had a good chance to get in there without my girls to do some serious work!  Isabella is a good helper, but tends to make more work for me by getting out a zillion toys and manipulatives!  If I spent a couple hours in there, I'd feel a lot better!  

B2S Must Haves: 1. The new outfit goes back to what I'm wanting, too!  It's fun to wear something new and special for that first day (or week!) of school!  2. I use address labels on everything! I print the students' names and the name of the folder/notebook/etc so it can be easily labeled that first day of school.  3. This year I'm making the switch from notebooks to a binder with loose leaf paper for my RTI notes, staff meeting notes, and collaboration ideas.  I just love these chevron and flowers binder covers from Kinder Doodles. They will be perfect for organizing my growing collection of binders!

Thank you to Farley for hosting this great linky! 

 

Now off to bed! Wish me luck tomorrow! Hopefully this rain will go away! I don't want to be running that far with squishy shoes!