Who Do I Love?

Lots of people!  Let's start with Teaching Blog Addict.  I get to "meet" new blogs, earn freebies and they have great links to all things pertaining to your grade level.  So awesome!  And now they have a TBA Fan Page Pinboard too!  Don't we all love Pinterest?!   Go check them out:

I also love Teacher 2 Teacher!  They are having a great link-up with tons of math freebies!  I created a freebie as part of my Money unit.

Go check it out and add your own freebie!

And I love Deb from Simply the Classroom for nominating me for this award!

There are a few rules for accepting this award:

1. Link back to the blogger who gave it to you.

2. Pass the award onto 15 other lovely bloggers.

3. Follow the person who sent it to you :)

15 is a lot.  I'm going against the rules and choosing 5 instead!

1. 2nd Grade Pad

2. A is for Apple, B is for Blog

3. DillyDabbles

4. First Grade Frosting

5.  Marvelous Multiagers

Lastly, I love all the things I've been making for my own classroom!  I'm so glad that I discovered everyone's amazing clipart and how to make my own classroom materials!  Here are my long and short vowel sorts in action:

Find them over at {TpT} and {TN}

The mini chart is from the Target Dollar Spot of course!

Lots to Share

First, I got an award from Beth Ann over at Taming My Flock of Firsties!

She nominated me for: 

Thanks Beth Ann!  Now, I get to choose one person to pass it on to.  If I could, I'd give it right back to her!  She always leaves such great comments on my post.  But I think that's against the rules.  So I choose to pass it on to:

Emily over at Playground Duty!  Go check out both wonderful blogs!

Next, Melissa over at DillyDabbles says tagged me and now I'm it!  It's a fun question and answer chain.    Kinda reminds me of those emails from way back when...you know, the ones that if you didn't respond, you would die a lonely death?  Remember those?  

1. You must post the rules.

2. Post 12 fun facts about yourself on the blog post.

3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create 12 new questions for the people you tagged.

4. Tag 12 people and link them on your post.

5. Let them know you've tagged them! 

Step 2: 12 things about me I haven't shared.  I don't remember everything I've shared, so bear with me if there are repeats!

1. I hate to cook.

2. As much as I like the weather in RI, I kinda wish it was warm all year round.

3. I love going to any sporting event, whether it's my local high school team or a professional game.

4. I've never dyed my hair, the sun does it naturally every summer.

5. I am not a phone talker at all.  But the first time I talked to my husband on the phone we talked for 7 hours.  He and my mother are really the only people I ever talk to on the phone.

6. I'm a huge Red Sox fan.  This year is going to be interesting though.

7. I don't drink coffee.

8. I went to Arizona on vacation once, and secretly want to live there now.

9. I've wanted to be a teacher since I was in kindergarten.

10. I only like movies and TV shows that are funny.  

11. I love spending time with my family.  We never stop laughing!

12. I can't sit still.  I am always multi-tasking.

Step 3:  Answer the questions that Melissa posted

What is your favorite food/drink to de-stress? Warm bread with dipping oil - I love carbs!

What is your favorite book to read to your class? The Polar Express (I even have a signed copy!)

What is your favorite book to read yourself? I've read Summer Sisters more times than I can count

How far do you travel to get to your school? 40 minutes

How many students are in your class? 18

Do you exercise?  How often and what types? I love the gym! I've been going 5-7x a week lately, it's been awesome.  I do yoga, cardio, weights, swimming and pole fitness classes.

What is your favorite topic or unit to teach? I really like the Christmas Around the World unit that Christina Bainbridge created.

What behavior plans/rewards do you have in place in your classroom? We use the PBIS system in our school and I really, really like it.  I think it's made a huge difference.

What do you wear to school?  (slacks, skirts, dresses, jeans, types of shoes) No skirts!  Black pants, and a dress shirt or sweater with my Danskos.  In the warmer weather, I'll wear sun dresses.  Jeans only on Fridays :(

How old/new is your school? It seems new.  It used to be a nursing home and before that, a boarding school.  The kids all think it's haunted.

What technology do you have available/use in your classroom? I have 2 desktop computers and an overhead projector (ha!).  The school shares a laptop cart, so 2x a week each student gets to use a laptop for 45 mins.  We also share a document camera.  It's hard to get my hands on though.

How do you spoil yourself? In the winter - curling up on the couch with a good book.  In the summer - laying on the beach with a good book.

Step 4: Create 12 new questions.

1. What is your favorite television show?

2.  If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

3. Who is one famous person you would like to meet (past or present)?

4. What is your biggest pet peeve?

5. What is your favorite activity?

6. What is the best thing about teaching?

7. What is the most frustrating thing about teaching?

8. If you could have a shopping spree to any store, where would you go?

9. What motivates you to be a better teacher?

10. Why did you start blogging?

11. If you weren't a teacher, what would you be?

12. Where is your favorite place to read a book?

Step 5: Tag 12 people

1. A Cupcake for the Teacher

2. Twins, Teaching and Tacos

3. Today in First Grade

4.The Teacher's Cauldron

5. The Honey Bunch

6. Teaching My Friends

7. Teaching in Room 6

8. Primary Punch

9. Mrs. Terhune's First Grade Site

10. Miss Smartie Pants

11. First Graders and Cupcakes

12.Chickadee Jubilee

Thank You!!

I owe a huge amount of thank yous to a lot of bloggers.  Here goes:

Thank you to all of these women for the Liebster Award!

Go check out all of their wonderful blogs!  Go here to see who I awarded the Liebster Award to.

Next, thank you to to Erica for the Versatile Blogger Award!  Go here to see who I awarded it to.

Also a huge than you to Erica and Beth Ann for helping me with my blog button that wasn't working! 

 While they were in the process of helping me (I didn't even realize they were being so nice), I ended up getting a whole new blog from Stephabee Graphics.  I love my new design!  And it was 50% off! Score!  I've wanted a really cute one for awhile but didn't want to spend $$ on one until I was sure that I was serious about this whole blogging thing.  I tend to get distracted easily and could've forgotten about the whole thing.  Apparently I am serious!  But thank you ladies for your hard work!

Lastly, I want to thank all the teachers who volunteered to help me with my Flat Stanley project.  Not all of my kids know someone outside of our little town and it will be great for them to get mail from far away.  I'm so grateful!

What a wonderful world the blogging community has created :)

I'm a Versatile Blogger!

First, a big thank you to Elisabeth over at Twins, Teaching and Tacos!  She gave me with the Versatile Blogger Award.

I am so excited!  Ok, here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who presented the award to you and link back to them.

Thank you Elisabeth!  Go check out her blog (and her adorable twins!)

2. Tell seven things about yourself.

1. Um, I don't like odd numbers so this is gonna be hard for me.

2. I'm an anti-vegetarian.  Yeahh, I don't eat vegetables.  Any.  

3. I don't like to go clothes shopping.  But I could shop for my classroom all day long!

4. I love RI and will never leave!

5. I'm blind as a bat.  I don't leave my bed without my glasses or contacts.

6. If I weren't a teacher, I would want to be a photographer.

7.  I am a neat freak.  (I can't even watch commercials for the show "Hoarders")

3. Pass this onto 15 newly discovered blogs and let them know they've received the award.

(and I just won her latest giveaway - yay!)

2nd Grade Stuff

Blooming Into First

Chickadee Jubilee

Dragonflies in First

Today in First Grade

I like Smiling, Smiling's My Favorite!

I think that is my favorite movie quote.  It's either that, or "All reds."  If you know what movie that is from, major props to you.  I don't know why I think it's so funny, but it gets me every time.  Um, hello? Back to the blog post.  I get off topic all the time sometimes.  Why am I smiling, you ask?  So many reasons!

First, I was awarded the Liebster award AGAIN!  Wow - I'm so honored!  I got so caught up in holiday stuff, that I didn't even see my nomination.  A giant thanks to Julie over at Second Grade Style!

Check out my nominees here!

Next, I'm now a guest blogger on The Best Endings - I'm so excited!

It's a brand new blog that Erika from The Honey Bunch  started.  It's all about books!  I love, love, love to read and wish I had so much more time to do so!  I am so ready to write my first post, but she said only one person could post a day.  That means I'm getting up early tomorrow (and I can beat all you west coast people)!  Go check it out to get some ideas for good reads!

Lastly, I had someone comment on my TpT products and even request more!  I feel so honored.  So here's the deal.  A fellow TpT-er asked for additional labels for my Out of the Classroom Poster.  Learn more about my poster here.  She wanted to see labels such as: Lunch, Gym, P.E., Media Center, Courtyard, Playground, Cafeteria, Gym Lobby, Front Lobby, Front Field.  We don't have some of these areas at my school, so I'm curious what are some other labels you would like to see me make?  I'm hoping to get them done tomorrow!

Sunshine and an (almost) Giveaway!

I'm walkin on sunshine...oooo ooo! I'm so excited for my first blog award ever! Ever! (yeah, I'm that excited!) A big thank you to the wonderful Meghan over at Inside the Classroom for awarding me with the Sunshine Award. It definitely brightened my day :)

The Sunshine Award rules are
1. Thank the person who gave this award and write a post about it.
2. Answer the following questions below.
3. And pass the award to 10~12 fabulous bloggers, link their blogs and let them know you awarded them.

* Favorite Color? polka-dot! Not a color? Ok, ok, pink and green

* Favorite Animal? gorillas

* Favorite Number? 14

* Favorite Drink? Jumpin Monkey from Dave's Coffee

* Facebook or Twitter? both (how do I get any work done?)

* Your Passion? teaching of course

* Giving or Getting Presents? I love picking out the perfect gift for someone! (and I don't really like to be the center of attention)

* Favorite day? 4th of July

* Favorite flowers? Gerber Daisys

Ok, now the hard part. I'm going to send the Sunshine Award over to some wonderful bloggers, but there's so many good ones to choose from!

Curls and a Smile

Extra Special Teaching

First Grade Blue Skies

I Do, We Do, You Do

Krazy About Kiddos

Ladybugs Teacher Files

Live, Laugh and Love to Learn

Ms. Preppy

Pencils, Glue and Tying Shoes

technology rocks. seriously.

Be sure to check out all those wonderful blogs that keep me inspired and motivated!

And since I'm on cloud nine from my Sunshine Award, I am proposing a giveaway. I'm t-h-i-s close to 50 followers. Once I hit the big 5-0, I'll post a giveaway! Remember, Christmas (or buy-something-for-yourself-day) is coming!