Happy New Year! Currently and a New Activity Pack!

Happy New Year to all! I can't believe that we are writing 2014 already...oh how the time flies!

Short recap of my holiday break...

NY, family, friends, four or five Christmases, colds, sneezing, lots of sleeping in, walks in the woods, rang in the New Year, back to VA, one day of school (Thursday), SNOW DAY (Friday) = 3 day weekend, and a new holiday themed pack for TpT!

This is going to be a short post, because I have been on the computer a lot today finishing my pack and my shows are about to begin (The Bachelor at 8pm and Downton Abbey at 9pm!)

Currently with Farley over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade

Listening...I went back and counted that I have used General Hospital for at least three of my currently's in 2013...I had like 10 on the DVR that I had to catch up on...watching the last one right now!

Loving...2014 is looking to be a great year! We are saving money, looking forward to nice tax return, working towards a healthier lifestyle, moving into a single family home, friends and family in NY over the summer, and Addyson starting Kindergarten in September (OMG!)

Thinking...that the snow day we had on Friday was our 1st grade team planning day...and on Thursday the outlook for a snow day wasn't too clear, so I left all of my stuff in school. But I did make lesson plans for a sub for Friday so I guess I can use those tomorrow. Hoping our team planning day is rescheduled for this week.  

Wanting...another week off...I mean who doesn't? Once I start back up again, I am sure I'll get into the routine, but it sure has been nice spending time with my husband and daughter. 

Needing...to start my New Year regimen! It is all planned out, lunch made for the week, dinner planned for the week, motivational wall is up, and my husband is ON BOARD! We both want to lose between 20-30 lbs and doing it together will hopefully be good for us. 

Memory/Tradition...even though I usually complain about how hectic our holidays are between going back and forth and visiting friends back in NY, I love it! I can't imagine the day when we don't go back to NY to celebrate the holidays...but then on the other hand I think about Addy and how if we always travel, Santa will never really come to her house. Traditions will change, I'm sure, over the next few years...but the memories of our New York holidays will always stay close to my heart. <3 Home <3

And I leave you with my new activity pack...

...AND because I am feeling generous...and it's the New Year...the first 14 people to comment will get the pack for FREE! To qualify, I need you to 1) leave a comment below, 2) include your e-mail address, 3) be a kind teacher and proof it for me, 4) PIN it on Pinterest using the three holiday names.

Visual Plans and THANK ful For Linky Parties!

WOW! The 3-day weekend sure did go by back. Had a few outings including a birthday party and baptism to fill our weekend with friends and family. I also had a chance to make a couple new TpT products...and as always...be one of the first five people to comment and you can choose which monthly addition practice packet you would like to have as a freebie!

JUST A COUPLE OF LINKY PARTIES!

I love when the bloggers that I follow create new linky parties. This week I am linking up with Blog Hoppin' for We are THANKful for...

TIME-SAVERS: Both my husband I are teachers...we like to be at school at least an hour early in hopes that we can both get home and pick up our daughter Addy by 4:30pm. Well that barely ever happens, especially the first nine weeks. So we rely on the crockpot for several meals a week. It is pretty amazing to only have to put the ingredients in and then come home to a wonderful smell and dinner already prepared! 

My other time-saver is TeachersPayTeachers! It truly is a teacher's best friend. Not only does it save time so that I do not have to re-invent the wheel, it is always a great little money maker!

Stop in tomorrow for some HELPFUL Hints! Especially if you are just dying to know how I make my TpT products!

WHOA! Lots of things going on in the post, but I just want to get them all done tonight! Let me leave you with a few things...

Happy Birthday to those in the Marine Corp! I hope that everyone was able to take a second today to remember those that have fought for us and that are still fighting for our freedoms. Veteran's Day is a welcome day off, but let's not forget why!

Make sure you go check out the AMAZING giveaways going on over at one of the blogs (and 14 others!) I follow. They are giving away 3 $100 gift cards (Amazon, TpT and Target) and each of the 15 bloggers that are hosting the giveaway have their own giveaways on their own blogs (think Starbucks, more Amazon, TpT products, Home Depot, Michaels, etc.!!)

Last but not least...I leave you with what I am most THANKFUL for...My Family!

Oh so LATE...July Currently and a NEW Mission Space Theme!

Wow...

It's been a long time since I last blogged...

Summer has gotten the best of me!

Most of the summer I've been in NY...

But before school let out, I did the Run or Dye 5K...a lot of fun!

then went to Cali...wine tasting, San Francisco, Russian River to celebrate my brother-in-laws 30th birthday (neon style)

Bridal shower for my cousin (I'm a bridesmaid)

Bon Jovi concert...just not the same without Richie :o(

...and now on to July Currently...only 26 days late and almost time for August! I can't believe it...

Lastly, a sneak peak into my newest classroom theme: Mission Space!! Be one of the first 10 FOLLOWERS to comment on this blog post and get Mission Space Hand Signals as a freebie!

Check back in August when the Mission Space Classroom Theme Bundle will be finished!

Lovin' May...and Currently

I am SO happy that it is May. It is one of my favorite months because...

...it is my birthday...

...it is Mother's Day...

...there is a guaranteed three day weekend (Memorial Day)...

...warm weekends filled with BBQ and friends...

...IT IS MY BIRTHDAY on the 20th... I'll be 27...

...it's the month before school is out...

Yea, May is pretty awesome. 

...and on to Currently, hosted by Farley over at Oh' Boy Grade

 

...I still need some ideas for classroom themes...

I have requests for Jungle/Safari so far...I am open to any suggestions!

...and for a give-away...REALLY cute idea for the end of the year...

...for the first TEN (because it's my birthday month!) followers to comment below.

Classroom Theme, BBQ season, and Yard Sales

This weekend definitely went wayyyy to quickly. The only good thing is, is that the weeks have been flying by as well. I cannot believe that there is only nine days until May! My countdown continues with only 41 school days left!

My husband, daughter and roommate went around to yard sales yesterday. We didn't find any great ones, but I blame it on my awful OCD about searching for them and wanting to go to certain ones. We should have just went to a few neighborhoods and left it at that. I wound up getting a good deal on Clue Jr, Guess Who, Monster Inc. Memory and a giant floor puzzle, all for just $4. I think my firsties next year will love them all. Hopefully next weekend will be more successful.

BBQ Season! Ahhh...I love it. It is getting warmer outside, everywhere you go you can smell the grill cooking up something delicious. We have been BBQin' the past few weekends and plan to do it every weekend until it is too cold to sit outside! I love soakin' up the sun, listening to music, hanging out with friends and family and mixin' up a new recipe. Here are two of my favorite side salad recipes:

Avocado Salad-
2 ripe avocados
1 can of corn (optional)
1 package of cherry tomatoes
mozzarella cheese (I like to get the fresh mozzarella balls that Harris Teeter has at their salad bar)
basil
light Balsamic vinegar dressing (My favorite is Newman's Own)

(Borrowed picture from ValSoCal)

Simple Pasta Salad-

Tri-color rigatoni

black olives

summer sausage, hard salami or pepperoni

cheddar cheese (cut into cubes)

broccoli

light Italian dressing (Kraft makes a good olive oil dressing that has a basil flavor, pretty good)

(Borrowed picture from Favorite Family Recipes)

Classroom THEME!!!! I decided to have an Under the Sea classroom theme for my new first grade class next year. Of course, I went right over to ScrappinDoodles and bought their Scuba Kids clipart collection and went to town. Many of my colleagues and friends seem to be fascinated by how quickly I put together my TpT products and the biggest tip I have is to re-use your original ideas and use them as templates for new ideas. I created my whole Under the Sea theme today!

In the bundle I have taken all my popular TpT items and transformed them into an Under the Sea theme including: Where Are We? Sign, Classroom Jobs, Digital Schedule Cards, Behavioral Chart, Calendar Months, Voice Levels, Hand Signals and Desk Name Tags. Click on the picture of each product to purchase them individually. Click on the bundle above to get all eight products for $15.00, that's $5.00 of savings!!!

And because I love freebies...the first five followers to comment on this post will get one of the items from the bundle for free!

Freebie Friday!

This will be my first year STARTING the school year, EVER! I have been subbing for so long and when I finally got my full time job, it started in February 2012. I am looking forward to beginning the year and really setting the tone.

For Freebie Friday, I have decided to share a polka dot welcome sign and a "Look Who's Been Spotted" template for grades PreK-5.


Click on the picture to get this freebie from my TpT store! Happy Friday and have a great weekend!