TpT Teacher Appreciation Sale... what goodies did you get!?

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I don't know about you, but I had so much fun clearing out my shopping cart last week!  Here are the goodies I picked up during the sale  (Thanks Michelle Oakes for the idea to use inlinkz to showcase your finds... it was super easy!):

Be sure to link up with Blog Hoppin' to show us what YOU bought!!  I know I already found some great new items for my wishlist.  

PS  Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's out there!  I hope you had a wonderful day surrounded with LOVE.  

Time is ticking.... TpT Teacher Appreciation Sale ends today!!

I hope you've been enjoying your Teacher Appreciation week... our incredible parents and PTO always spoil us!!  I feel so fortunate to be a part of such a supportive community.  

Have you treated yourself yet?  

The TpT sale ends today-- I'm off to snag a few things from my wishlist! 

PS  Don't forget to provide feedback from your purchases.  You'll earn TpT credit to spend on future purchases.   It's a great way to pick up more fabulous finds--FOR FREE!!   

Happy Shopping!  

Instagram!

I am excited to delve into something new... Instagram!  

If you haven't heard of it, it's "your story" told through pictures!!  What a great way to peek into other teacher's classrooms. 

I just joined today... so hurry up and follow me so you can be part of the journey. :)  Some of my friends are starting something fun--an Instagram party every Tuesday.  Just use the hashtag, #teachertalktuesday  Click the link below to link up with Rachelle, Natalie, and Michelle.  HAVE FUN!

Five for Friday... plus Spring Cleaning SALE!!

It's Five for Friday!!! I'm linking up with 5 fun things from my week...

1.  

If you're anything like me, you spent at least part of your Spring Break doing some spring cleaning!  Well.... why not spring clean your TpT wishlist too?  Everything in my store will be 20% off on Saturday and Sunday.  Thanks to Krista for the adorable graphic... and be sure to scroll to the end of this post to see who else is having a sale!  HOPPY Shopping!!

2. 

What do you do when you've collected 15 coffee cans?  Make Splat the Cat retelling stations, of course!!  I have this incredible group of 15 friends that love to meet and do "swaps".  This time our project was make a retelling station... so, you make 15 of the same activity and then you leave with 15 different retelling stations!  I'll post soon about how I made this Splat the cat retell with bonus rhyming activity on his tail.  I will show you the FUN ideas my friends created too!!

3.

We tried this egg activity to finish up our magnet unit.  I saw this on someone's blog (please refresh my memory, if it was yours!!) and loved that it blended marble painting and magnet exploration.  I loved the variety too--some kiddos made eggs that were more "random" and other kiddos really rolled their marble magnets in a design.  Plus, it was the perfect project for our last day before break!!

4.

We are on spring break this week... and lovin' every minute!  Everyone made their own Flat Kindergartner before we started our break.  I was so impressed with the detail they added to their flat selves!!  My kiddos will bring back their Flat Kindergartner and his/her journal next Friday so we can all hear about their incredible adventures over spring break.

5. 

Today I had the nicest lunch with Kim Adsit and Megan Merrell!  This amazing duo is just as smart and FUNNY in person as they are on their incredible blog, Kinder Gals.  Be sure to check out their store too!!  It's amazing how fast 3 hours can pass when when you're chatting away with sweet ladies like these. :o)

I hope you'll link up too... this is one of my favorite linkies!!  

Here are some of the other sales going on:

It's World Down Syndrome Day... 3/21!

I'm dedicating this post to my buddy, Elliot!  

It's World Down Syndrome Day and we get to celebrate this amazing young man!!  He is the sweetest, cutest, little guy and I love him dearly... how could you not, with a smile like that!?  Elliot is my best friend Mandy's middle son, and he has kept all of us smiling and laughing since the day he was born.  He is such a blessing to us all!  

I want to share what Mandy wrote today on her Facebook page... 

Today is World Down Syndrome Day, 3.21!  Today we are celebrating Elliot and all the wonderful people we know that have been genetically enhanced with a 3rd copy of the 21st chromosome. Just over 3 and a half years ago we welcomed Elliot into our family and since then he has made us smile and at the very least chuckle every day :-) He has a BIG personality which seems only bigger since it comes in such a small, yet perfectly made package. He has a grand imagination, is extremely animated, and has wonderful comedic timing... I just know he is destined for big things!

Proud is an understatement of how I feel to be his mommy. I am so lucky and very blessed to get to experience parenthood a little bit differently than most. I get to celebrate those little triumphs more than others, I shed a few more tears at times, but I get so many hugs and have to say his are the BEST! He is so tender and empathetic with his siblings which is so wonderful to see - Both Griffon and Maggie go straight to him to get comfort when they are sad. He has taught us more about patience & persistence than any child could. But more than anything he, together with his brother and sister, have showed me that I have a capacity to love more than I could ever imagine.

And because of Elliot I have met some of the most wonderful and simply amazing families... Thank You Elliot for changing my world! I couldn't imagine it any differently.

And Thank You All for your love and support for our Elliot over these past few years... it means so very much to us! 
With much love, 
Mandy & my best friend & partner in it all, Eric

I have been friends with Mandy since pre-school, but it days like today when I feel  so proud and so blessed to be her friend.  So today, on World Down Syndrome Day, please help raise awareness, raise understanding, and, most importantly, LOVE!  

Five For Friday (March 8th)

It's time to link up with the fabulous Doodle Bugs for Five for Friday!!

1.

We celebrated books in so many TASTY ways this week!!  I'm sure you've figured them all out...but colored goldfish (One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish), schlopp (Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!), and eggs with ham--err, turkey bacon! (Green Eggs and Ham).  Sometimes reading is SO delicious!!

2.

Don't worry... we tied lots of math and science in as well!  Before tasting something a little different (like adding coloring to something!), check if students like the "regular" variety.  This helps you to know who can be encouraged to try it.  We read Scrambled Eggs Super and graphed who likes scrambled eggs before even mentioning the green variety!

3.

We REALLY ENJOYED having two snow days in a row!!  We built a snow fort, made banana muffins, snuggled with stories and hot chocolate, made a snow lady with her snow giraffe, and so much more!  LOVED every minute (and memory!)

4.

We also read The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins and Bartholomew and the Oobleck.  I always make the cornstarch and water mixture for oobleck, but this year we tried something new--and I'm SO GLAD we did!!  We made Steve Spangler's GAK recipe.  Oh my word!!! It was a great science experiment and great fun too!  We made a batch of white and a batch of green and let everyone mix their "blobs" together.  If you haven't made this one yet... be sure to visit this link and try it!!  

5.

There's ONLY 1 hour left to enter my 100 Facebook Fan Giveaway!! You can win a $20 Amazon gift card and an item of your choice from my store.  Even more exciting.... I'm only 9 friends away from a 500 follower giveaway!!!  Won't you be my friend!?  :o)

Now it's YOUR turn to link up too!!

Let's Hear it for... SNOW Days, Clean Sweep, and Giveaways!

I don't know about you... but I love a good SNOW day!  This was the best snow we've had in a long time and it was so nice that my husband also had off work.  Just look what he built for our daughter--an incredible snow fort!!  

 And the best news in... I already know that we have off school tomorrow too! :o)

As you know, I'm participating in the Clutter Free Classroom project this year.  It's fun to "tweak" the things you're already doing in your classroom and get more organized!!  I'm catching up on a few project posts and here is the week 3 challenge:  make a clean sweep!  

When I think of an area in my classroom where I need to make a clean sweep--I immediately think of my "white shelf". This is where I am the worst offender at stacking papers and other odds and ends.

Here's how I made a clean sweep...

SO EXCITED at the difference from these few little changes.  I'm planning on adding labels or vinyl lettering (cut from my Cameo) to the 3 large drawers, but I'm still undecided at what I want it to say (essentially, it's the stuff that's "on tap" for lessons that day/week.  Check out the project--you can jump in at any time!! 

There are two giveaways I also want to mention.  The first one is from my real life buddy, Kelly Haynes.  She is celebrating 300 followers and you can win this adorable monster finger puppet set and CVC monster word packet from her store!    Click on the picture to enter!!

Plus, don't forget to enter my LOOK for BOOKS 100 Facebook Fan Giveaway! You can win a $20 Amazon gift card plus "your choice" from my store!!  Just 2 days left to enter...

Currently March and Amazon Gift Card GIVEAWAY!!

It's a new month... and time for a new currently!

I'm linking up with Farley for this fun linky--you should too!

Listening: I think this has been my theme for listening--I guess, it's what I enjoy most at night after a busy day. 

Loving: Yes, my daughter turns 4 in early April and wants a Halloween celebration for her birthday.  I mean, who can blame her??  Costumes, apple bobbing, and pin the heart on the skeleton--why should fall birthdays get all the fun?  

Thinking:  Our PTO plans this amazing basket raffle and BINGO night event--which will take place next Friday!  After school today most of the completed baskets were ready for preview... WOW!!  The best part is all the basket items were donated, so all the proceeds are profit for our PTO and benefit the school.  I was already eyeing the Crayola basket for my little lady!  

Wanting:  My never-ending story..... time, time, time!  (Did you sing it too?)

Needing:  WOO HOO last class!  Now, to complete the presentation!!

Like, Love, Hate:  I'm Karen and I like kids (yes, I LOVE kids too... but there was only one love!).  I love Kindergarten (this is my 8th year in full-day k and I love every minute!).  And Karaoke... what can I say?  Some people just shouldn't sing, on stage, in front of an audience.... nuff said!  

Tag--you're it!  Go link up!!

I'm also excited to say that today I hit 100 fans on my new Facebook page--so you know what that means!  

It's FINALLY Giveaway Time!!
I thought it was fitting considering this time of year... to have a LOOK for BOOKS 100 Fan Giveaway!  You'll get an Amazon Gift Card to spend on your class library--or yourself! PLUS the item of your choice from my TpT Store!!

First Prize:  $20 Amazon gift card and any item from my store (your choice!)
Second Prize: Any item from my store (your choice!)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Five for Friday (March 1st!)

It's time to link up with the fabulous Doodle Bugs for Five for Friday!!

1.

Doesn't it feel good to organize even a small area in your room.  My "white shelf" is making me so happy.  It now has labels too... but, of course, I forgot to take another picture (so, you'll just have to take my word for it!)

2.

Did you see this?  I'm getting so close to 100 fans on my brand new Facebook page... I'd love for you to be a fan too!!  I feel a giveaway coming!

3.

Do you participate in the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program?  We have been getting their free toothbrush kits and materials for years and it's such a nice way to learn about dental health.  

4.

My kiddos LOVED growing plaque!  Can you guess which cup had sugar in it?  This science experiment tied in perfectly with the end of Dental Health month and the beginning of our Seussy celebration (after reading The Tooth Book).  It's also hilarious to hear your students PROMISE that they will always brush after eating sugary foods!  :o)

5.

I whipped up this little sheet to accompany the above experiment.  Click on the picture to snag a copy!!

OK... now it's YOUR turn to link up!!