Teacher Appreciation Sale!

Teachers work SO hard during the school year, and now we're in the home stretch.  In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, The Lesson Chef and many other TpT stores are having a 20% off sale that will run from May 6-7.  Check out the wonderful sales!

Wordless Wednesday

Today I'm linking up with Sugar and Spice for another Wordless Wednesday!

This week, my class went on our last field trip of the year to the Yellow River Game Ranch in Stone Mountain, Georgia. We saw many cool animals and even got to pet and feed a few. We saw the most unique WHITE peacock while there! Isn't it beautiful!?

My question for you:  What unique/crazy/interesting things have you seen on past field trips?

Can't wait to hear from you!

Mother's Day is Near!

Mother's Day is just around the corner!  I can't believe how fast this year has flown by.  Every year at this time, I struggle to find activities for my kids to do based around Mother's Day.  With the end of the year approaching, state testing, and crazy students...who has time to worry about Mother's Day activities?  Well, luckily this year I decided to be prepared!

 That's why I created Mother's Day: A Unit About Mom.  This is the PERFECT print and go unit that my students will start working on this week!  There are enough activities in this product to last them through next week, and best of all...NO prep work for the teacher!

This unit contains pages for students in grades 2-5.  Activities include: 

All About Mom Poster

Reasons I Love Mom (boy and girl version)
Story Booklet About Mom (2 versions of the cover)
Mother Acrostic Poem
Coupon Book Pages (5 different designs)
News Article About Mom
WOW MOM Card
Recipe for a Great Mom (boy and girl version)
iMOM (iPad look alike booklet)

I can't wait to share pictures of my students using this! 

Five for Friday!

This is my first time joining up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for the Five for Friday Linky party.  

My husband, son, and I just moved into a new home this past December.  This week we finally completed our outdoor deck area.  Pretty comfy, right?

I signed up for Teacher Blog Traffic School this week, and I'm SO excited to get started.  I watched the first 4 lessons my first day!

My second son is due in July, and we were lucky enough to get these pictures at his 3D Ultrasound this week!  I can't believe how much he looks like his older brother!

We had state testing (CRCT) this last week and this week.  I CAN'T express to you how glad I am to have those tests over with!  Now we just have to wait and see how the scores look when they come back.  Students will have makeups before they get out on May 16th.

And this is big brother!  He is 21 months old, and we've been a little concerned about him not talking as much as other kids his age.  He LOVES to babble, but just this week we've noticed that he's putting two word phrases together.  His favorite two are "Oh, ok" and "Awwww, sweet"!

My first Five for Friday was mostly about my personal life.  I'll make sure to include more educational items next week!

Wordless Wednesday

This is my first linky party, and I'm SUPER excited! Maybe just a little embarrassed too! I'm linking up with Sugar and Spice for Wordless Wednesday!

So I work very hard each year to organize my library, and this is how it ALWAYS ends up by the end of the year.  Do you have any tips to offer on how you keep your classroom library neat and functional all year?

And the Award Goes to...

Good afternoon everyone!  I was very excited to wake up this morning to a message that I had been nominated for the Liebster Award by a fellow Georgia blogger at The Elementary Darling.  Not a bad way to start the day, right?

Here are the rules-

1. Link back to the blog that nominated me.

2. Nominate 5-11 blogs with fewer than 200 followers.

3. Answer the questions posted for me by my nominator.

4. Share 11 random facts about myself.

5. Contact my nominees and let them know that I nominated them.

Here are the questions from Erin at The Elementary Darling:

1. What is your favorite thing about your job?

I really enjoy being able to use my creativity freely.  Creating new ideas and seeing them work is one of the best things about my teaching experience.

2. Which do you like better, instagram or facebook?

Well, my students tell me that Instagram is the new Facebook, but I'm partial to Facebook.  I mean, I've been using it since it started!

3. Do you have a theme for your classroom decor? If so, what is it?

I'm one of those teachers who ALWAYS has a theme/decorated classroom.  I've just recently started making classroom themes to sell on TpT.  I've used frogs, 50's, jungle, and color schemes.  This year I am using one of my favorite color schemes.  It's very vintage and you can find it here in my store.

4. How many siblings do you have?

I have two brothers.  One is 11 years older and one is 7 years older.  I'm the baby and only girl!

5. Who is your favorite clip art designer?

Where do I start!?  I usually buy most of my clip art on ETSY, but I've just recently discovered some great designers on TpT.

ETSY Favs:  Lovely2cu, Sugarflies Designs, ErinBradleyDesigns, DreamLikeMagic, MareeTrueLove, CocoaMint, and KellyMedinaStudios

TpT Favs: Digi Clipart, Graphics from the Pond, and The 3AM Teacher

6. What is your favorite topic or subject to teach?

I feel the most prepared to teach Math.  I received a Math endorsement when I graduated college, and I've done an extensive amount of Math related research.

7. What is your favorite store to shop in?

I'm assuming this is non-TpT, so I'd have to say Brighton!

8. Do you have a favorite sports team?

Oh, absolutely!  Go DAWGS!  (Georgia Bulldogs)

9. What is your favorite children's author?

I love all of Karen Beaumont's books.  I read them to my son all the time!

10. What is your favorite T.V. show?

I have several regular shows, so I can't pick just one...

Vampire Diaries, Nashville, and the Americans are probably my top 3.

11. Do you have any pets?

Yes, I have one peek-a-pom named Lila Belle.

11 Random Facts about Me!

1. I have been a technology nut since I was about 10.  That's when I started coding my own websites.

2. I've suffered from migraines since I was in high school, but they miraculously went away after having my first child.  Go figure.

3. I spend WAY too much time at home working on my blog and my TpT store.  Sometimes I feel guilty.

4. I'm due to have my second child (another boy) on July 7th.  That's only 10 days away from my first child's second birthday.

5. Food is my downfall...I'm not picky and I LOVE to eat.

6. To go along with number 5, I HATE to exercise.  I really want to look fit, but I am so lazy when it comes to working out.an

8. My husband is the neater spouse.  Thankfully, he's also VERY helpful around the house.

9. I've actually had a headache all day today now that I think about it.  On top of that, we had our 4th day of state testing.  Yuck!

10. This year has been my most academically challenging year.  Sometimes it gets me down and makes me feel like a "bad" teacher.  :(

11. I play music in my classroom all day.  Piano solos mostly.  It really helps control the volume in my room and creates a sort of calm mood.  

My fabulous nominees are:

Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten

Miss Woodward's Class

On the Go Teacher Mama

Curriculum and Crayons

Tales and Teacherisms

Here are the questions for my nominees:

1. What is your teaching experience? How long have you been teaching? What grades have you taught?

2. What do you find to be the hardest part of teaching?

3. Do you have a theme for your classroom decor? If so, what is it?

4. If you couldn't teach, what would you do?

5. What do you do in your free time?  

6. What is your guilty pleasure food?

7. What is your favorite store to shop in?

8. Do you have a favorite sports team?

9. What are you currently reading?

10. What is your favorite T.V. show?

11. Are you married?  Do you have children?

Have a great day!

New Product: Place Value Battle

I'm very excited to post my first blog about a product!

As the school year comes to an end, I am racking my brain trying to come up with lessons and activities that I wish I would've had this year.  Thus, my Place Value Battle center/game/activity was born!

I don't know about my fellow teachers, but my students struggled all year with understanding place value.  It was especially hard for them to understand the value a number held depending on the place it was in.  So, I've created this product to help with that next year!

Place Value Battle is great for grades 2-5.  The game boards show place value up to the hundred thousands, but you could add a space for the millions if your students need an extension.  If your kids only need place values through the thousands, you just leave off the others.  :)  Students will draw number cards and try to create the largest (or smallest) number with those cards.  

I especially love that it has a superhero theme!  What kid doesn't like to pick which superhero represents them?  There are 6 different superheros to choose from in this game!  

I also often wonder if teachers are able to print things like this in color.  I know at my school, we only have black and white printing.  For this reason, I decided to include each game piece in color and in black and white.  Just thinking of you my lovelies!  

I'm currently working on "Battles" for multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction.  What grade do you teach and what did your students struggle with the most this year?

My first blog!

How in the world does one come up with a great first blog?  I'm guessing the answer is simple...they don't.  I'm hoping over time I improve, but for now here it is.  Plain and simple.

I'm currently a 3rd grade teacher in Georgia.  I have a husband, Nick, and an almost two year old son, Lachlan.  In between teaching and home life, I've created a new blog, decided to amp up my TpT Store, embrace social media, and prepare for the arrival of my second son, Cohen.  He'll be making his debut in July.

This picture pretty much sums up the above...

Another interest of mine is cooking and baking.  Do I always have time for it?  HAHAHA...no.  However, I love to explore new recipes and see what meals I can come up with on the fly.  With that said, check back weekly for some great, quick, family friendly recipes that have personally been tested by yours truly.

I definitely feel crazy and overwhelmed at the thought of taking all of this on, but at the same time I'm excited!  I have to say that I have a tendency to jump into things, get stressed, and then stop altogether.  That won't be the case this time.  How am I so sure?

It all became a reality for me when I started reading blogs by other teachers who had written posts about the start and eventual success of their TpT stores and blogs.  I read many blogs by many talented teachers, but one in particular really motivated me to get started on this new venture.

The 3AM Teacher wrote a post titled From One Teacherprenaur to Another: My Blogger Beginning & Tips for Beginners.  This post really changed my outlook on something I've wanted to do for a long time, but didn't think I could.  If you haven't read this post and you are a new blogger and/or TpT store owner, you are missing out.  Her story is heartbreaking and triumphant, and it will give you the umph you need to get moving.  Not only that, her blog is amazing in itself!  Go check her out!

I also have to send a huge shout out and a thank you to Crayonbox Learning for helping me design this amazing blog.  I told her what I wanted, and she immediately went to work making my vision a reality.  I can't thank her or recommend her enough.  If you are considering "fancying" your blog, I suggest you see this lady!

Finally, I'll end with a few questions I have for you experienced bloggers.  How do you keep your store, blog, and social media organized?  What do you use as inspiration for new blog posts?  Do you have a blogging schedule? What is your most successful tip for a first time blogger and store owner?