Holly Bloggy Gift Exchange

I was so excited to take part in the Holly Bloggy Christmas gift exchange this year!  I had to send some of my favorite things to Debbie at K is for Kinderrific.  Here are the gifts I sent...

Debbie received an owl bracelet.  Right now I'm in love with the owl craze!  Also, tarts in Northern Pine from Warm Glow Candle Co.  I really enjoy the smell of Christmas trees this time of year.  I also love all things Warm Glow.  It's a candle company right here in Centerville, IN.  Finally, Debbie received a Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer in Sparkling Pink Champagne with a sparkly holder.  I couldn't live without multiple bottles of hand sanitizer and everything looks better with sparkles!
My Holly Bloggy buddy was Sharon from The Convenient Teacher.  She sent me all of these items...

So many wonderful gifts!!  So many of Sharon's favorite things are my favorite things too!!  I am in love with the candle scent!!  All of the wonderful gifts came in this adorable box...

Thank you so much Sharon!!  I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and God bless us, every one!

I'm Done (Now What) Jar and something unexpected

Last week I finished a new product.  You know I have this obsession with jars!  They are so easy to grab and go.  Students use them during math and reading workstations.  Recently I decided to step outside the box and make a jar for something other than a workstation.  I have several students in my classroom that always finish assignments early.  I generally have them read silently while others work.  This works most of the time.  I've seen lots of early finisher boards but I just don't have room in my classroom to display something that large.  So I decided to make a jar for students who constantly finish early.  My I'm Done (Now What) Jar has 30 task cards for students to complete with little to no guidance. Take a look at the preview...

You can also check it out at my TpT store or TN store.
Now for the unexpected news... I opened my Teachers Notebook Newsletter on Saturday to find my I'm Done Jar included in the Featured Items of the Week section.  I was soooooo excited!

Lord hear our prayer

Want your students to be "Smart Cookies"?

Recently I did a product swap with Amy at Little Miss Organized.  Product swapping is a great way to have others test your products, as well as try theirs.

Amy has a line of themed Common Core ELA daily worksheets.  These worksheets are great way to review skills such as:
*Prefix, suffix, & root work
*Singular to Plural
*Common noun to proper noun
*Contractions
*Compound Words
*Synonyms and antonyms
*Drawing
*Vowel teams
*Syllables
*Nouns, verbs, &/or adjectives, adverbs, & pronouns
*Capitalization & endings
*Possessive nouns
*Commas
*Writing Practice

My students love doing them!  I tried her Thanksgiving themed Smart Cookies.  My class did the sheets first thing in the morning all through November.  I had them on their desks each morning.  Some days I had students turn their papers in to me and on others I had students partner check each other.  They love doing this with their red pens (I love it as well because it saves some time!).

If you would like to check out Amy's Smart Cookie products, click on the picture below!!

Also, don't forget to go and follow her adorable blog, Little Miss Organized!!

Currently

Wow!  Where did September October November go?  This school year is going by so fast!  I can't believe it's time for December's Currently.

Listening...  My daughters love "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" with Jim Carrey (I prefer the original!).  

Loving...  I told my youngest daughter about the Silhouette Cameo and all the wonderful things it can do a few months ago.  She convinced my husband that he should get me one for Christmas!  It came in a week ago and they couldn't stand the anticipation, so I got to open it early!  I can't wait to use it to make gift tags and lots more!!  I love it!

Thinking...  This year I'm going to have my students make Family Dinner Conversation Starters for their parents and we need to get started.  I purchased this from The Clutter Free Classroom.  I think parents will love it!  Click on the picture to check it out in her TpT store.

Wanting... It's been unseasonably warm in Indiana this weekend with a little rain this evening.  Due to this combination, there's a chance of fog in the morning.  If it's too foggy, we delay school two-hours.  A late start on a Monday morning would be a nice way to welcome the week!
Needing... I started my lesson plans last Friday but I haven't finished them yet.  I've been soooo bad about this lately!  Looks like I'll be staying up a little later tonight (another great reason for a two-hour delay).

RAK... I have two daughters with too many clothes and toys.  I usually store them to give to friends/ relatives or for an upcoming garage sale.  This year I'm going to take them to the Salvation Army for families in need.

Thanks for reading!!  Now head over to Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade and link up to December's Currently.

Only a few hours left!!

Hurry!  Time is running out!  The TpT Cyber Monday Tuesday sale is almost over!  For the first time (because I finally figured out how to do it!), everything in my store is on sale!  Enter the code CMT12 at checkout for an extra 10% off your total.  I've did a little shopping yesterday and will be heading back shortly for a few more items.  Here are a few things that I have purchased so far...

 Third Grade Emergency Sub Activities by Teacher's Clubhouse

 Movie Response Pack by Ashley Hughes

 Map Skills Lapbook & Foldables by Amber Polk

Loving Literature Circles by Panicked-Teacher

Happy shopping!!

New Christmas Product and Sale!!

I finished my Writing Workstation Jar of Christmas Writing Prompts.  My students enjoyed my Halloween prompts so much that I decided to do one for Christmas as well.  Here is a preview of the product

You can check it out at my TpT store or TN store.  It's on sale right now in my TN store and will go on sale tomorrow in my TpT store.

How do you plan for a substitute teacher?

The dreaded day has finally come!   Tuesday I will be in training all day and will have a substitute teacher.  I hate being out of the classroom not just because I miss my students but also because I hate making sub plans!  I know what it's like to be a substitute teacher in a classroom with poor sub plans.  It is for this reason that my plans take me hours to prepare.  I try to keep the day as normal as possible.  I purchased Amanda Nickerson's Sub Tub.  This has been a life saver for getting things ready!
Do you do any special preparations for having a substitute teacher in your classroom?  How do you encourage your students to behave for the sub?

And we have a winner!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered my 300 follower "My Favorite Things" give away!!  The winner is... Sara Kovach!  Congratulations Sara!  I hope you enjoy a few of my favorite things!!

24 hours and counting!

Twenty-four hours and counting until the end of my 300 follower giveaway!  Don't worry, there's still time to enter!  I'm so excited to announce the winner!

Target, Panera, iTunes, Starbucks!! Only 2 days left in my giveaway!!

Only two days left in my 300 follower giveaway!  I'm giving away a Target, Panera, iTunes, and Starbucks gift cards plus a few other goodies to one lucky winner.  Please help me spread the news and blog or Facebook about my giveaway!  Thanks for your support!!

100 Follower Giveaway!!

Quick!  Head over to Amy at Little Miss Organized for her 100 follower giveaway!!  She is giving away lots of wonderful prizes (one being my Parts of Speech Jar)!  The giveaway ends soon so hurry, hurry, hurry!!

I did it! I survived the first trimester!

60 days down!  I did it!  I survived my first trimester of 3rd grade (after 18 years of teaching special ed. and 1st)!  And to top it off... NO SCHOOL TOMORROW and a 3 day girls weekend in Tennessee!  I'm looking forward to relaxing, laughing and enjoying the company of my good friends.  Wifi is iffy on the lake so this will probably be my last post for a few days but before I go I wanted to let you know about a huge giveaway from Megan at I Teach.  What's Your Super Power.

Also, don't forget to enter my 300 follower giveaway!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Cutest giveaway EVER! Plus My Favorite Things Giveaway!

Hurry over to Ms. Fultz's Corner for the cutest giveaway EVER!  Christi is giving away a personalized pencil bunting banner!  Click the picture below to enter!

(I mean, how cute is this!!!)

Also, please don't forget to enter my 300 followers "My Favorite Things" giveaway!  Feel free to blog about my giveaway for an extra chance to win each day.  I'm thrilled that my first giveaway is going so well, thanks to all who have entered!

Also, it's a great day for education in the state of Indiana!  Glenda Ritz has been elected as our new Superintendant of Public Education.

Top 10 things I'm thankful for...

I'm linking up with Storie at Stories by Storie for her Top 10 Things I'm Thankful for linky party.

Here's my list...

I'm also thankful that it's election day!  All Indiana teachers are on edge today.  We are voting for Superintendent of Public Education.  Our current superintendent is not a friend of public education and must go!  Fingers crossed that Glenda Ritz wins this election!!

Also, don't forget to enter my 300 follower giveaway!!  Thanks!

Made It Monday and 300 Follower Giveaway

I'm so excited it's the first Monday of the month so I can link up with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics and her Made It Monday linky party!!

I actually started working on my project earlier this summer. This is what my table looked like before I got started (the chair is my next project).

This is what the table looks like now!  I painted it black with lots of dots.  I have the table next to my classroom door so I can enjoy it every time I walk through the door.

Also, don't forget to enter my 300 follower giveaway!  One lucky person will win everything!
Click on the picture to enter!