Wrapping Up A Wonderful Year

This week has been a whirlwind of EXCITEMENT!   We had Teacher Workdays all week.  These days usually consist of cleaning up and packing my classroom, completing cumulative folders, and turning in equipment.  Let's just say that there was too much excitement that I didn't get everything done that I needed to so I have to finish on Monday.  Boo!  But, I have so many {excuses} that I don't feel terrible for not finishing up.

Excuse #1

Wow!  I am so honored that my colleagues have graced me with this title.  I am still smiling from ear to ear and feeling very blessed.

My amazing husband and beautiful daughter were at the end of year celebration to celebrate the awesome news!

Teacher of the Year and Beginning Teacher of the Year.  I think we still look fantastic though our makeup was smeared by all of the tears.

Excuse # 2

On Tuesday, some of the staff had to present technology tips at a Stem Expo for our district.  We all worked really hard to show and share all we know.  Go STEM Team!

Excuse # 3

This little cutie came to work with me the rest of the week.  While I was busy preparing my classroom, she kept insisting that she needed to play on the playground.  My team and I had to find many ways to keep her occupied.  Sydnee loves flowers (and butterflies) so we let her pick a big {HUGE} Magnolia from the tree.  She was over the moon.

There you have it...my excuses!  But, I think they are perfect excuses as to why my room is not complete.  I am 100% sure everything will be completed on Monday.  I am READY for my summer vacay to begin!

Classroom Luau

I cannot believe this school year is over.  It will always be remembered for the year that slowly crept by.  Seriously, I love my kiddos, but this year seemed like it would never end.  Whatever happened to the last day of school being in May?  Can we puh-lease (pretty please) have it back?  I really wouldn't mind starting earlier in August if we could just end the school year in May.

Anyway, this week we celebrated with a 2nd Grade Luau.  The kids were actively engaged.  We had 5 rotation stations.  I , of course, had the limbo and hula hoop station.  We jammed out to some Beach Boys and Chubby Checker.  Old school, I know, but the kids didn't seem to mind it.  I was completely exhausted from doing the activities with them.  My class told me about all of the other stations and how much they really enjoyed themselves.  The other stations included face painting, snow cones, corn hole, and beach ball volleyball.  I have always had Luau Day for the past 6 years and every year I have students who come back and visit and always remember our Luau Day.  It just melts my heart!

My sweet assistant and me!  The 2nd Grade Team got these cool shirts from US Toy for $5.  

I wish I could post pics of how cute my kiddos looked.  They went all out with sunglasses, leis, hula skirts, etc.

Next week, me and a few of my colleagues will be presenting at our county Expo for STEM.  We will be pulling everything together that we have been using with our kids to extend their ability to learn with technology.  I know we will ROCK it!  I also have to pack up my room and help another 2nd grade friend pack as she moves on to 3rd grade.  She is such an amazing and inspiring teacher and has been by my side since I came to the school.  I don't know how I am going to survive without her!

Hope your last week was filled with more laughs than tears!  Keep checking in throughout the summer for tips, tricks, and ideas I will be using in my classroom for 2013-2014.

Happy Mother's Day and Teacher Appreciation!

I have been so very spoiled this past week and the surprise just keep coming!   You see I am one lucky lady...I get to celebrate 4 holidays all in one week.  I started off this week with Teacher Appreciation Celebrations.  Our sweet assistants threw an ice cream sundae party during our lunch time Tuesday and an amazing breakfast during our specials time on Thursday.  Silly me for not taking pictures because I was so excited about all of the festivities. But, I did get to capture all of the precious gifts that I received from my students and peers.  I am feel so {LOVED}!

 I absolutely adore these cupcakes!  They were tasty too!

When I got home, my daughter wanted stole my chocolate necklace that one of talented students had made for me.  Isn't this such a great idea????  It is made of saran wrap, ribbon, and chocolate (my fave)!

We also celebrated Bus Driver, Cafeteria Workers, and Custodian appreciation Week.  My class was in charge of taking care of the bus drivers so we made this banner (with the help of my fabulous teammate Paiton who is beyond amazing at cutting shapes).  My room volunteer also helped with coloring the bus which was an amazingly tremendous task.  The hearts are little message that my students wrote for the bus drivers.  Melts.My.Heart!

Courtney and Paiton giving me some silly poses!

On Friday, I celebrated Military Spouse Appreciation.  My husband has been in the service for 13 years and I am SO very proud of all he has accomplished.  I applaud any spouse who has dealt with the hardships of deployments and TDYs.  i get asked all of the time how I do it and the simplest answer I can give is , "I have no clue!".  I really don't know how I do it, but I know where my heart is and that is with him.  So, last night he took me to dinner at a little place here called Carl & Chelles and the steak dinner was melt in your mouth De-Li-Cious!  

Today, I am celebrating Mother's Day with my mini me.  I am so blessed to have such a bright, beautiful, and happy-go-lucky daughter.  She is my EVERYTHING!

This is the pretty frame she made for me at school.  Girly and all!

FREEBIE ALERT!!!

My class made these Muffins for Mom magnets.  We attached THIS poem to each magnet.  

You can pick up the template to make these HERE!

And...tomorrow I will celebrate my 32nd Birthday!!!  I am so blessed to have such helpful and caring family, friends, and coworkers who make each day special.  I imagine there are more surprises in store for me beginning tonight through tomorrow.  Some neighbors are throwing a birthday party with my favorite food FAJITAS!  I miss me some Tex-Mex!  And I can't wait!  My mouth is already watering!

 

Teacher Appreciation Week and A Sweet Sale

Did you know that TPT is having a HUGE sale for Teacher Appreciation Week???  I bought so many amazing resources today and can't wait to use them!  (I'll share all of my purchases later in the week so be on the look out!)

My entire store is 10% off, plus receive an additional 10% by using the code: TAD13).  The sale runs may 7th-8th so hurry up and grab all of the resources you need for the rest of the year plus a few for next year.

Graphic by: Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Designs

Did you also know it is also Nurse Appreciation Week?  We've got some plans cooking for our school nurse and he's going to love it!  {Insert Evil Laugh}  Pics to follow soon!!!

 

Oriental Trading Gift Card

Just wanted to share that Teacher's Notebook is having a Giveway for a $100 gift card to Oriental Trading.  What teacher doesn't like Oriental Trading????  Plus, they are offering an additional 10% off all sale items for Teacher Appreciation Week!  Click on the link below and enter the giveaway.  Don't forget to pick up all of the awesome items created by teachers while you are at it.

It's May! Hooray!!! Five for Friday

I can't decide if this week flew or crept by, maybe a little of both.  We've been super busy learning about triple-digit addition, main ideas, summarizing and animal habitats. We are getting ready to start all of our 2nd grade assessments next week so it should make the next two weeks zoom by.

1.  My kids made these awesome animal dioramas.  They were actively engaged the whole time which is A-MAZ-ING!  I got this template from Scholastic.  We talked about the similarities and differences between an American Prairie and an African Savannah. Look at this awesomeness in 3D!!!

You can get this Scholastic Book too!  It is full of cool stuff!

2. Other news...our caterpillars arrived!  The kids were so ECSTATIC! And so was I!  I love insects, I just don't like to touch them.  As long as they are in a container or not too close to me, I am fine.  But, we will be observing the metamorphosis of a butterfly in the coming weeks so stay tuned for more pics.

3.  SCOOT!  The hands-down best classroom game around!  I created a  triple-digit addition  packet to use with my students.  I saw so many light bulbs go off and it was super quiet as a mouse for once.  Talk about a teacher's dream!

4.  I had the pleasure of working with a wonderful parent volunteer for the past 6 years.  I had her son when he was in my 1st grade class.  I can't believe he is in 6th grade now!  Anyway, I am so blessed to have her in my class for all of these years.  I really do not know how I would manage all of the work without her.  THANKS SO VERY MUCH PAM!!!!

I made her this super cute mint basket.  I found it on Pinterest and downloaded the tag at this wonderful blog Darling Doodles.

5.  Have you ever heard of IPSY???  A friend of mine introduced me to this.  You pay $10 a month and get a bag filled with expensive goodies (some trial size and some full size).  My first bag should come in soon and I am impatiently waiting to see what is in it.  The preview shows a ZOYA nail polish and I am hoping to get either the purple or the yellow.  Fingers crossed!

If you want to check IPSY out, just follow THIS LINK!

And there you have my Five for Friday!  

Check out Doodle Bugs Teaching to find out what all the teacher bloggers did this week.

Hope you have a fabulous weekend filled with lots of warmth!

  

Fractions Poster

Well, we are still working on fractions, but will be wrapping it all up tomorrow.  Then, we begin three-digit addition and subtraction.  YIKES!  I am sure they are ready though.  This group has outstanding math skills.

If you are or will be working on fractions, then this poster may help out a bit.  Click the picture below to get this poster freebie that I created to help my students understand numerator and denominator.

Happy Monday Friends!  

I hope your week is off to a great start.