Flash Freebie!

*UPDATE- This flash freebie is over. Follow my store and blog for more great freebies and products! :)

I am offering my first flash freebie as a thank you to my followers on Instagram and others who have purchased from my store. This is my most popular phonics slideshow and it's only available for the next hour! So hurry! Click the pic to get yours and make sure to leave me some love...like feedback or a comment!

 

I'll be back later this weekend with a new product for you.  Apple on!

Five for Friday

Happy Friday! 

I got my "classroom fix" twice this week by helping out two of my best friends.  Their kiddos are so cute and smart! I also got to see the cutest baby...he was my date the other night ;)

Like that paper hat?  Find it here. Follow my friend Chelsie here!

 I reached two milestones this week...50 Instagram followers and 100 products sold from my TpT store.  I owe a BIG thank you to my followers and to those that have purchased from my store!!! Maybe a giveaway or a flash freebie next week??? ;)

 

I started working on a new product. I had my friend Chelsie try it out in her classroom this week to make sure it's all good for you.  I hope to have it in my TpT store by next Friday!  Be on the lookout for it!

I added all of the handouts from the past year to my Sunday School tab.  I know it isn't that interesting to an elementary school teacher but if you teach Sunday school or know someone that does... you know where to send them for some ideas. #shamelessplug

 

Annnnnnnnd finally....I am thinking of starting a linky party of my own.  Stay tuned to see what's coming!  

I'll leave you with a quote...which isn't something I usually do but it sums up my week...in the best way possible.

Happy weekend!  Apple on!

Valentine's Day Cards

What do you do with all those sweet Valentine's cards from your students? More often than not, I would find myself collapsed on my classroom floor at the end of Valentine's Day. With all the chaos of heart shaped cookies and the students yelling "thank you" to each other across the room...I had not been able to look at or admire a single card that those sweet little ones had given me.  My cooperating teacher taught me this when I was student teaching.  Take all those adorable little cards...the Transformers, Hello Kitty, and the Disney princess cards and tape them up with a thank you note from you.  I hung mine out in the hall or on the door for at least a week. The kiddos LOVE it.  They love to be recognized and they love that you are proud to show off your cards to the whole school.

And because it's Valentine's Day tomorrow I just want to brag about my Valentine.  I have had some very difficult months lately.  I have been dealing with alot of depression and self-doubt.  More than I've ever dealt with in my life but I am beginning to see the light again.  I am so grateful for a man that knows what I need. He took me on the trip of a lifetime.  He's been helping me with the dishes and countless other things. Can I just say, dang, I love this man!

left: our wedding day in Jan. 2007     right: celebrating our 7th anniversary on our trip

Best wishes for a Happy Valentine's Day with all your little sweeties! Apple on!

February (really?!?) Currently

I love to start my month off right with Farley's Currently!  You should too!

 

Listening- It is a brisk Saturday morning.  We had some rain overnight and the birds are out and about enjoying the first sunlight coming through.

Loving- While I love vacation time it is also nice to just be home together on a Saturday.

Thinking- I woke up thinking...oh my gosh...it's February!  I can't believe that January flew by so so fast!

Wanting- Since I am retired I have been trying to find a routine that I can stick to.  It's hard to do for some reason and I feel reallly lazy most of the time which makes me feel awful about myself so it's just a nasty cycle that I am ready to bid farewell to.

Needing- I still have suticases semi-unpacked in the bedroom from our cruise.

2 truths and a fib- 1. Yes!  I hated taking classes with my hubby in college (we weren't married yet).  He was a suck up and I hated that it worked out for him all the time!

2. No! Here's me trying escargot and my reaction to it...

3. Yes! I have always wanted a large family and at this rate I might as well have multiples to make our family grow faster!  

Happy weekend and apple on everyone!

Take Me Back Tuesday

 Hey everyone! I thought I'd try a little "Take Me Back Tuesday" (idea from Second Grade Shenanigans) to give you ideas for an enlightening science lesson and Valentine's Day. Enjoy! (psssttt...freebie at the end)
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Originally posted ---Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Every year we have the science fair.  It seems to be the only time that I am able to fit in a genuine complete scientific type lesson.  The kids LOVE it!  This year we wondered about chips and if they are healthy for us.  I  gathered some of their favorite kinds of chips and one that I knew wouldn't be as greasy just to balance out their oh-so-healthy choices. We crushed the chips and put some on one inch graph paper for a week.  The paper absorbed the oil and we counted the squares to see which chip has the most.  Let me tell you...the chips have been off the papers for half a week and the oil is STILL spreading!  Grossness! The finished project will be placed in the hallway tomorrow...I secretly would like to win first place.  That would be awesome for my class!  When we were wrapping up our project one of my students was very distraught.  I asked him what was wrong and he was just holding his head in his hands and groaning.  He said, "But Cheetos are so good! I don't want to eat healthy chips!"

 




















Valentine's day is coming!  Are you ready?  I tell my hubby that I would rather spend time with him than anything else and I surely don't need any more candy because I get TONS from my students!  Do you get loads of candy from your students?  I don't know how they figured out how much I like chocolate and sugary stuff!  I am giving my kiddos a heart shaped crayon and a book (it is also Love of Reading week).

 I hope the rest of your week is great!  Apple on!
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There ya go!  And I have a freebie for you...the student observation recording sheets and the sheets to place the crushed chips on...the ones that get all oily...ewww!  Go and grab yours here.  Thanks for reading!  Apple on!

Monday Made It - Year of Dates

I'm linking up with 4th Grade Frolics to share my first...

 

For a Christmas gift, I gave my husband a year of dates. I got the idea after begging asking my husband to take me on real dates. Now, don't get me wrong, he takes me out on dates but it is often just dinner and then collapsing in front of the TV. I wanted to plan a variety of dates...something to look forward to every month! After hours of perusing Pinterest, I gathered ideas from sites such as The Dating Divas and Inspire and Indulge. I also gathered 5 different questions for each date that we will ask each other. Some of these questions I made but I got most of them from Love the Grows and The Dating Divas. Here are our dates for 2014!

 Like the background? It's from The 3am Teacher!

You can grab this set of dates for free! Click on the pic! Just print them front to back and stick them in an envelope.  What an easy gift!  I made mine prepaid, which you could do as well. I included a date and pricing guide in this freebie and a second date idea for my Mormon friends (click here to learn more). If you have any questions leave me a comment and I'd be glad to help you.

We are going on our first date tomorrow! I will be sure to post pictures on instagram #yearofdates :)  Thanks for reading!  Apple on!

January Currently

Hello January! I've been in a funk lately. I was depressed.  I missed teaching (especially all those fun activities and excitement that happens in December) and other feelings that I will explain later in this post. But I am happy to be blogging again and nothing gets me going like Farley's Currently!

Listening- The hubster's watching Mythbusters and I am blogging with the laptop on the couch.
Loving- My one little word is faith.  My husband and I want to have children. We have been been trying for the past two years to become pregnant. It has been very difficult for both of us.  I have become frustrated and even angry with Heavenly Father that he won't grant us the privilege of becoming parents. I  know that I am lacking faith in His plan for us. My choice is to try to the best of my ability to trust Him and regain the faith that I have lost.
Thinking- Sunday school has been eventful...to say the least...they are teenagers after all. I have looked at the lesson for tomorrow but need to print and finalize my thoughts.
Wanting- I got a gift card from my friend Devon for Scrappin' Doodles!  Can't wait to use it! I'll be checking it out tomorrow!
Needing- Oy! I haven't taken down any Christmas decorations yet.  Christmas knocked me out and then we were out of town for New Years so I haven't gotten to it yet.
Memory- This was our first Christmas in OUR first home! I will always remember sipping apple cider by the fire Christmas Eve and being able to wake up and check out our stockings in our own home for the first time Christmas morning.

Thanks for reading!  I will be back later this week with a gift idea for a young couple or for your significant other. Apple on!