BLOGS Gone Wild

Blogs, Blogs, everywhere there's blogs. 

Fillin' up my Reader, makin' my eyes start to fog. 

Click this, click that, can't I read all these blogs?!?

This post has three sections containing some really important stuff about blogs.  Well, it's not really important, but  will be really happy if you read it anyway. :)

 First section of this post: 

Seriously folks, there are so many GREAT teacher blogs out there!  I have so many that I follow, it is hard to keep up.  During this school year, I had to take a little break from blogging and blog hopping due to lack of time for anything ever. HA!  When I got back, I was amazed at the number of new blogs I found.
The whole point of this section of the post is this:

How do you keep up with all the great blogs out there?

Please comment and let me know! Once upon a time, I was a big commenter.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE leaving comments, but I have so many blogs to visit that sometimes I forget and get sucked into this blog hopping vortex.  I feel sad just thinking about it. :( I want to know how Jennifer and Gladys do it! They always leave sweet comments. :)

I often find myself going to my go to blogs, stalking certain blogs for a period of time, or checking pinterest and going to the blog from there.  Does anyone else do this?

Second Section of this Post:

I have been working like a mad woman to get some blogs designs done!If you do not have a bazillion blogs that you are following like I do, here are some more for you to check out.  Even if you do follow a bazillion blogs, you should still check these ladies out.  They are great.  Click each button to visit the blog.



I have been finished with Sarah's Blog for a little while now, but it is so cute and she has so many great things, I've just got to share it!  Sarah always has awesome freebies and units.  For each month she does a Literacy Menu Packet.  They are AMAZING.  She covers so many skills.  I love them!  You can check the latest one out on TPT by clicking {here}.

At Home in First is a brand new blog.  However, she came up with such a cute name and had such a clear vision for her blog, that I know she will have great things to post. So, just go on and follow her anyway!  :)

 Dana is funny and totally sweet!  She has a ton of great ideas.  I love her blog's bright colors, and I got to use graphics from one of my favorite places, The Digital Bake Shop. I am totally obsessed with Jaime's stuff! Her blog can be found {here}.








 Stacy was great to work with!  She is wonderful   Her blog will definitely leave you seeing stars. :)   Check out the way she has her students pose for pictures.  I absolutely love it.

Third Section of this Post:

 My friend Sam and I started a new blog!  Yeah, we did. We love to read and would like to get some advanced reader copies of our favorite series.  We thought, what a better way than to blog about them! I am still working on the design of the site.So, don't hate on it or I will get all sad again! :)   We have much more to come. There will be a section for children's books and books we use in our classroom along with the books that are sitting on our night stand.  Please do go visit it and follow if you love to read books too.  You can click the image to get there!

Thanks for sticking with me until the end!  Have a great Sunday Summer Night!

Warning: This a long one but there are freebies!

I thought that when I graduated with my Master's, I would have tons of time to blog, make units for TPT,create blog designs, make crafty things, and read.   HAVE MERCY! That has not been the case!

That is my friend Sam and me holding the blue folders.  We are working on a book blog as I type, so be on the look out!  The other two ladies are other first grade teachers and the best team members/friends that anyone could ask for!  I love them!

Anyway,  here is a little rundown of -some- of the things that have kept me from blogging.

This has been the busiest school year in my 5 years of teaching. During a team meeting, our Curriculum Coach walked in and a fellow teacher (one from the picture above:)) looked at her and said, "If you say, 'It's just on more thing' one more time, I am going to scream!"

Home life has been just as hectic. This summer we started remodeling/adding on to the house and are still not finished.

My poor Nana has been diagnosed with late life anorexia and dementia. She has broken 3 bones in as many months. I try to spend as much time with her as possible but my job in the situation has become taking my Papa to the grocery store on Friday night while someone sits with her. Please keep her in your prayers!  Isn't she precious?!?! :)

Silly Nana at Christmas.  She would kill me if she knew I put this pic on here, but I LOVE it!

I had planned on using Spring Break to catch up on all the fun things I love. Well, I woke up Sunday feeling like POO! I went to the doctor on Monday and found out I have the flu...ON SPRING BREAK! Ugh. SO the first few days were spent sleeping.

So Wednesday was the first day I got to check something off on my to do list.

Months ago, Katie King from Queen on the First Grade Jungle, contacted me about creating a blog design for her. She was so patient, sweet, wonderful, and understanding. She never gave up on me and I cannot thank her enough. Her new blog design is up and cute! Go over there and check out all her wonderful ideas. Make sure to check out her TPT store while you are there too!   Looking at her blog makes me want to fix me up a new one.  :)

I have made a few things to use in my classroom, I just haven't gotten around to sharing them. My school is Pre-K-2. Our sister school is 3-5 and is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) School. To prepare our little ones for what's to come, we do some kind of engineering/ inquiry based lesson at least once a week. I wrote about another engineering lesson {here} if you would like more information about it.

One of my favorite STEM lessons we do is building houses for The Three Little  Click the image below to check out the Freebies I created to go along with that lesson.

This next little freebie is a Contraction Word Work Center.  I saw something like it last year but could not find it anywhere this year, so I just made my own.  If you are the original "sharer" of the Green Egg Contractions please, please let me know and I will make sure you get the credit.  Click the pic to get the file.

Well that's it!  Give yourself a brain kiss if you made it to the end!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!  I am praying this week goes by quickly, because I cannot wait much longer for THE HUNGER GAMES!!!!!!!! One week... WOOOO HOOOO!

Christmas in July and a Blog Makeover

This month I participated in a Christmas in July book exchange.  This lovely little activity was put together by Randee at How About Them Apples?, Nicole at First Grade OWLS, and Jackie at Here We Go Loopty Loo.  We had to choose a children's book and come up with some activities to go with the it.  I chose the oh so wonderful book Olivia by Ian Falconer.  You can download the activities I put together for Olivia by clicking the image below.

Thanks ladies for hosting this super fun party.  I cannot wait to get my book! :)   Everybody make sure to check out these three fab blogs! Click here to go to Randee's blog to see what everyone else got!

Also, the super sweet Texas ladies at Peace, Love and Kindergarten have had a blog makeover!  Click their button to check out their psychedelic new look!