Giveaway at ilive2learn ilove2grow!!!

Hey everyone!

I have taken a little blogging break in an attempt to balance the demands of my busy, hectic life.  But, I'm excited to share about a wonderful giveaway over at ilive2learn ilove2grow.  Her blog has reached 150 followers and her TPT store is at 100!  Congratulations!

And, she is featuring one of my products in her giveaway!!!

On another note, I am working on a character comparison mini-unit complete with rubrics and a speaking and listening component.  I'm so excited to share it with you!  Our kiddos did such a great job!

What are your kiddos up to?

Silence for Sandy Hook

12 in 12

 

I'm linking up to this fun party over at Miss Kindergarten and a Teeny Tiny Teacher to share my top 12 of 2012!!!  Head over to link up your blog!

12. Favorite Movie You Watched

I am not really a "go to the movies" kinda gal (so expensive!), but I did splurge to see Hunger Games, and I loved it!  I read all of the books and the movie was not a disappointment! 

 11. Favorite TV Series

So, I AM a TV person.  It is oh-so-embarrassing how many shows I watch!  My all-time favorite show is Glee.  It is beyond corny but I am show-choir girl at heart <3  That's right, friends, I'm a Gleek!

10. Favorite Restaurant

Anything that serves sushi, really.  

9. Favorite New Thing You Tried?

Blogging!  I'm still so new at it, but I love it!  I know that I need to devote more time and energy, that's my New Year's resolution!

8. Favorite Gift You Received

Number one best gift of the year was the amazingly well thought-out handmade birthday celebration from my husband and my little (ok, no-so-little) babies  big boys.

"Happy Birthday Mom" Painstakingly spelled out by my 4 year old and a heart-felt drawing from my 3 year old.  My heart is full.  A mom couldn't ask for more!

Look at those decorations!  (And notice through the window the hubby cooking me a bday feast!)

7. Favorite Thing You Pinned

Only one?  Really?  

I'll be the first to admit.  I am a Pinterestaholic.  And the thing is, I don't just pin.  I have this need to try to make everything I pin.  Seriously, I have a problem.  Is there a job where you get paid for trying out pins?  Because I think I'd be very successful at that job.  Since I know I could never pick a favorite pin, I'll share the pin I'm currently attempting.

This requires a small back story.  My darling sons have become extremely interested in Legos lately ( my husband is not-so-secretly rejoicing that he gets to play Legos again).  They are at the top of the Christmas Lists this year.  So, when I saw this pin I knew I had to try to recreate it.  Here is what I have so far (more work to be done):

Before                                                                                  After

Obviously, I have lots of work to do, but I'm excited about how it looks so far!

6. Favorite Blog Post

Well, here's the link to my very first post.  It doesn't have anything spectacular in it but it took me forever to write.  I went back and forth for so long wondering if I should even start this crazy little journey.  So glad I did!

5. Favorite Accomplishment

No Question:

These little guys are my world.

4. Favorite Picture

That's so hard too!  When you have little kids in your life, it's hard to pick just one favorite.  I love the pure joy in this picture though!

 

 3. Favorite Memory

My family vacation to New York this summer.  And when I say New York, I mean State, not City.  I'm from Western New York, about as far from the city as one can get while still being in the state of New York.  I love visiting home.  Don't get me wrong, I am in love with NC, but there is something about going home that just makes a girl smile! :)

2. Goal For 2013

Blog.More.  Period.

1. One Little Word

Faithful.

That's it.  That's all she wrote folks!

Welcome Elf and Holiday Bulletin Board

Our friendly little Elf on the Shelf made his appearance this week and my kids are So.Excited.  I love that they run in each morning to find him.  Every year I think, "this class isn't going to buy-in to the elf thing."  And every year I'm pleasantly surprised.  I love love love seeing "magic" through their eyes!


Here is what our little guy has been up to:

Making some new friends

Fishing for some goldfish crackers





Sitting in the "E" tub - E is for Elf :)

 
 Hanging with his Elf friends behind our name graph


 And Friday he brought each kid their own little bag of snow from the North Pole.  Unfortunately, it melted by the time he got all the way to North Carolina.


We made a big production of naming him.  We narrowed it down to 4 choices and had a class vote.  The kids ended up naming him after our school counselor, which gave us all a good laugh.

Then, we made our own graphs and answered some questions about our data.  I found this awesome elf on the shelf craftivity and knew I had to use it!  This is from Mrs. Goodwin at ilivetolearn ilovetogrow  I added a space on my graph to glue it on.

Here are some pictures of the end result:

Sorry for the picture quality, the glare from the sun was not cooperating!

Grab a copy of my graph and the elf for free!

Head over to Seusstastic Classroom Inspirations for some great elf ideas!


Aside from our elf, we have been busy talking about traditions in first grade, and needs and wants in kindergarten.  These are social studies standards for NC, and they fit oh-so-perfectly at Christmas time.  We made these into our Christmas bulletin board and I love it!

Long Time No See!

It seems that I've gotten into the habit of posting about once a month.  It's definitely not my intention, but as soon as I blink the month has gone and I have not posted more than once!  *Ugh*  This needs to change.  I have so much going on in my classroom that I want to share.  I just need to find the time!

For today, I'm linking up with some amazing blogs to share some freebies.  The first blog I'm linking up with is Freebielicious.  Have you checked out this blog? If you are a K-2 teacher and have not been there just stop reading right now and head on over.  It is amazing!

My freebie for this link up is my Responding to Nonfiction - Informational Text Graphic Organizer.

The other incredible blog I'm linking up with is Farley's Oh Boy Fourth Grade!  Check her out, she has so many resources and not just for 4th grade!

Here is my December Currently (please excuse the overlapping words):

 

I don't know why the words are overlapping, they aren't in my picture but then they overlap when I upload it.  *Technology*   

Go link up with Farley!  Don't forget the rule of 3! Head on over to 2 before your link and comment and then go back to Farley's site and leave a comment at the 1 behind yours :)

Here is another freebie for you, for sticking with me!  This is a Venn Diagram for Comparing the Key Ideas in two texts.  My class compared the Three Little Pigs with The Three Fish and the Big Bad Shark (they LOVE that version!)

And, my friends, I leave you with this, because who doesn't need a little "Elf" in their lives: