Unwrapping my favorite old holiday photo!

Have you been keeping up with this party? So fun! Linking up with Daina and Tamara again for their "Unwrapping your holiday favorites" linky! :)

  Today we are unwrapping our favorite old holiday photo.  You ready for this one? It's a cutie...

That's me and all my siblings (The CHATpak) in our Icelandic sweaters!  They are sooo warm and great for winter! I'm not exactly sure what year it was but it was around '98.  I'm pretty sure I could ask my mom and she would know! ha.  Anyway- We're going to try to recreate it this year :) That ought to be fun!

We were dubbed "CHATpak" because of our names- Chelsea (right), Hollie (in front), Ashley (me! Back middle), Timothy (left). We were cute- I just wonder what happened? ;)

Can't wait to check out other old holiday photos!

Unwrapping my favorite holiday tradition!

Congrats to Rene Owens who is the winner of a copy of my new "Snoetry" pack! Check your email!! :)

Daina from 

and Tamara from

are hosting this fun Holiday link up where some of your favorite bloggers are unwrapping their holiday favorites.  

Today is all about holiday traditions! Here's mine...

Unfortunately now that everyone is grown and moved away- this tradition is starting to get smaller and smaller and this is the first year that I will be unable to attend.  But I'll always have the memories from years past!  And now would be a great time to start some new traditions!!

Oh by the way, I have my New Years Resolution pack on sale today for $1.75.  Perfect for after the holiday break!

Stop by tomorrow to see my favorite old holiday photo! This one's super cute do you don't want to miss it!

Unwrapping my favorite holiday food

Daina from Sticky Notes and Glitter has a fun party going on all week about "Unwrapping" our holiday favorites!

Here are the topics for the week...

This week we are unwrapping our favorite holiday food.

My mouth is watering just thinking of them!  Sooo delish.  I wish I could share the recipe for my grandmothers meatballs but it is a secret family recipe! ;)  I don't know if they are really "Icelandic" but ya know- sometimes parents will say anything to get their kids to eat and apparently I thought it was really cool to eat food from the place where my mother was born. haha But as for the crackers- head to your local grocery store! :)

Can't wait to read about your favorite holiday foods!

70th product giveaway! Whoop, Whoop!

TGIB (Thank God it's break!) Yes, Yes.. I am officially on winter intersession and so thankful for the next 3 weeks off- Ok, well- we have a workday tomorrow but I don't count that. I know most of you still have 1 week left so I will be thinking of you (& hoping that your kids will not be crazy- ya know those Christmas wiggles come out at this time of year). 

Anywho....I am writing this post because I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited that I just uploaded our 70th product! It took us long enough to get here!  I am super proud of this one too.  A winter "snoetry" pack.  Great for the last week of school, or even the first week back!

This pack is all about writing cinquain and haiku poetry and is full of resources for your classroom!  You'll find worksheets for your kiddos to mix & match sentences to write each type of poem (Would be perfect for a center!), planning sheets for your kiddos to write their own poem, a word list that includes a number of different descriptive words for students to use, a snowflake outline that students will write their own poems on, and 2 different bulletin board banners.

   

   

   

   

I'm giving away 2 copies over on my Facebook page but I'll also give away a copy here. Just enter using the Rafflecopter below :).  

This pack is on sale for just $2.50 until I get home tomorrow afternoon :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Love for Sandy Hook

As educators, we remember and honor our fallen colleagues and their students from Sandy Hook School. We honor them each day in our classrooms in which we continue their dream of teaching our children. We honor their memory with our service. Join with teachers everywhere in committing random acts of kindness to show our love for Sandy Hook.

Shower the World with Kindness

I was so saddened today to hear about the school shooting in Colorado today.  I guess we can say, "Luckily nobody but the shooter was killed." but is that really lucky?  Yes it could have been worse, but 1 life lost is still a life lost and when tragedies like this happen it starts the questions in my mind, the ones that are impossible to answer... 

"Why?...  What happened to make this person want to kill innocent people?...  Who did them wrong?  Why weren't they helped?....  Could it have turned out differently?...."

Reflecting on these tragedies.. Columbine, Sandy Hook... makes me think about how important my job really is.  Not my job of teaching kids how to read, write, or complete experiments.. My job of teaching kindness, acceptance, and LOVE.  It also makes me think about how important it is for me to show kindness to everyone I meet because everyone is fighting a hard battle.  It helps me understand just how important it is to shower the whole entire world with kindness, because we just don't have enough of it.

You have the power to change someones world, to help them see kindness that maybe nobody ever showed them before, to help them believe that there really is love in this world.  Simple acts of kindness can go a long way.   So why not show kindness to the cashier who looks miserable as they are checking you out... maybe they are miserable because of unkind customers who argued with them about that 10cent discount... or pay for the meal of the person behind you in the drive thru...maybe they are struggling...  We can be a powerful force of change in this world.. if we just show a little kindness!!

As educators, we remember and honor our fallen colleagues and their students from Sandy Hook School. We honor them each day in our classrooms in which we continue their dream of teaching our children. We honor their memory with our service. Join with teachers everywhere in committing random acts of kindness to show our love for Sandy Hook.

#love4SH

Virtual Cookie Recipe Exchange

Thought I would join in the virtual cookie recipe exchange fun that's happening over at Time 4 Kindergarten.  I love me a good cookie!  I like to bake and put together some baskets together for holiday or family parties, or small little gifts for neighbors.  So much fun!  When thinking of a recipe to share I immediately thought of "Salty & Sweet!"  I am totally a salty and sweet kinda girl so instead of sharing a "cookie" recipe.. I'm going to share a fun little "snack" recipe that is a great addition to any cookie tray.

Sweet & Salty Chocolate Topped Pretzels!

Basically delicious...

ADORABLE border by Krista Wallden 

Pretty easy huh?  If you did it correctly they'll look a little something like this...

You could also top with peanuts, pecans.. use candy cane kisses.. anything your heart desires!

What's your snack weakness? Sweet & Salty definitely tops my charts!

As educators, we remember and honor our fallen colleagues and their students from Sandy Hook School. We honor them each day in our classrooms in which we continue their dream of teaching our children. We honor their memory with our service. Join with teachers everywhere in committing random acts of kindness to show our love for Sandy Hook.

How with your show your #love4SH ?

Holiday Traditions (Freebie!)

Warning: Lacking in classroom pictures because I suck.. that is all...

The only thing standing between me and 3 fabulous, relaxing weeks off (1 of them on the beaches of Daytona- Countdown...16 days whoop whoop!) are 3 days.  Seriously people, 3 days! It is soo close I can taste it.  Tomorrow, an observation Thursday, and Fun day Friday full of games, PJs, movies, and hot chocolate.  Holla!

So what are we up to, you ask?  The past 2 weeks we've been studying about different holiday traditions around the world courtesy of 3 fabulous resources made by some of my favorite people!

Simply Skilled in 2nd's Holidays flip flap book & brochures.  I <3 Anna- she is basically awesome- and her resources are ah-mazing.  Especially her flip flap books.  My kids adore them!!

"What the Teacher Wants" Holidays pack (Part 1 AND 2).  This is jam packed with resources and fun crafts for the kiddos to do!  Rachel is fabulous too! By the way, have you seen her Random Acts of Christmas Kindness pack?  I didn't get it in time this year to take advantage but it is definitely on my list for next year!

and

Education to the Core's holidays pack.  This one has adorable little mini book that the kids can put together and bring home to share with their family!

My kids have learned about Novena, Las Posadas, St. Lucia's Day, Hannukah, Christmas in Germany Christmas in Australia, and Kwanzaa.  We've made Menorahs, Poinsettias, Candle Crowns, Gingerbread Men, Kinaras and on Friday we will put together our Flip Flap book! (We didn't get through all of the countries I wanted to due to only have 2 weeks between Thanksgiving break & intersession but I'm not letting that stop our Flip Flap Fun!). 

Tomorrow we have a special guest reader who is going to read a Christmas story before they write about their own holiday traditions.

So.much.fun ( & educational too!)

Here's a little freebie that's been in my file for a while (Dr. Seuss anyone?) if you'd like to have your kids write about their own traditions. 

 Font by Jen Jones @ Hello Literacy

Border by Got to Teach

As educators, we remember and honor our fallen colleagues and their students from Sandy Hook School. We honor them each day in our classrooms in which we continue their dream of teaching our children. We honor their memory with our service. Join with teachers everywhere in committing random acts of kindness to show our love for Sandy Hook.

Spread the word with #love4SH

U.S. Symbols with collaboration and teamwork!

Raise your hand if you are stuck inside because of snow or freezing rain.. If only it could hold off until tomorrow morning so we could have a snow/ice day!  I'm not sure about many other states weather right now but if you're in NC, you'll appreciate this...

Onto the meaning of this post.  A group research project on U.S. Symbols!

Another teacher and myself decided to have our classes collaborate on this project and it has been so much fun and quite the learning experience for our 2nd graders.  We started by splitting them up into 9 groups of 4 and giving them each a symbol to become an expert on.  Day 1 & 2 they did research and found all of the information they needed.  They worked in pairs- 2 people reading books/magazines, 2 people on the computers.  We were prepared to solve arguments about who would go on the computer and who would go on the computers but we were pleasantly surprised.  If they disagreed, they compromised or played rock, paper, scissors (Oh, they actually DO hear me when I'm talking!)

They had their research papers with them as they did their research.

            

Then on day 3, they got together and compared information.  They asked themselves: 

• Did we find the same information or different?
• Do we have to find more information?
• Do we have to find the correct answer (If we have different answers)?

Then began sketching their idea for their poster as well as choosing which information they would teach the rest of the classes.  After their ideas were approved by myself or my teammate, they could start.  We had 2 basic rules.

1. No arguing

2. Everyone must participate

Look at them all so hard at work! We got to use our schools "Learning Commons" which is a new room this year that is perfect for this type of work!

We are still finishing up but their posters are beginning to look fabulous.  This week they will plan their presentations, practice, and then teach the classes about their symbol!

     

I've created a resource to go along with this project that includes 3 different types of research sheets, resource lists (online & books), and a group norms page for your students to come up with the rules they think are important in order to work the best they can.  This resource is great for any grade and is easily adapted to fit the needs of your room!

Well, stay warm and safe from the storms y'all!

#love4SH

As educators, we remember and honor our fallen colleagues and their students from Sandy Hook School. We honor them each day in our classrooms in which we continue their dream of teaching our children. We honor their memory with our service. Join with teachers everywhere in committing random acts of kindness to show our love for Sandy Hook.

Kindness for Sandy Hook

As educators, we remember and honor our fallen colleagues and their students from Sandy Hook School. We honor them each day in our classrooms in which we continue their dream of teaching our children. We honor their memory with our service. Join with teachers everywhere in committing random acts of kindness to show our love for Sandy Hook.

It's really hard to put into words anything that I want to say right now.  It's hard to believe it's almost been a year since the horrific tragedy in Newtown yet it's still so fresh in my mind.  The saddness, the anger, the questions.  Why such innocent babies and the teachers who fought to protect them?  I remember crying as I saw the faces of the teachers and children on the news.  I remember thinking about my own class and being thankful that they were all safe, well and that I wouldn't have to fight off any tears on Monday (we had just been dismissed for our 3 week holiday break) as I thought about the little ones in Newtown that didn't make it to school that day, who wouldn't make it...ever again.  I remember crying with staff at our staff meeting on Monday as we took a moment of silence to honor everyone at Sandy Hook and reassuring each other that we would protect our students, some of them our staffs, just like Rachel, Dawn, Anne Marie, Lauren, Mary, and Victoria did.  And most of all, I remember writing an email to the parents of my students, promising them that I too, would die protecting their child because they were like my own and asking them to give their child a hug from me- tears in my eyes as I pressed send.

With the one year anniversary coming up this Saturday, December 14th.. the Mayor and citizens of Newtown have asked people to commit random acts of kindness to honor the teachers and students who we lost this day.  I can't imagine honoring them any better way than showing people that we care and that our hearts are full of love. 

 The blogging community is asking that you join in honoring our fallen heroes and children this Saturday.  Spread the word, Let's make this day Powerful ,  let's make it a day of LOVE, remembrance of the joy that all of these wonderful adults and children brought to the lives of many, and thankfulness...thankful for life, for what we have, and the power to change lives, and hope for the future.  #love4SH

It's Currently December... seriously?

Hello year flying by!  Anyone else feel this way? Where did the year go?  Well- in honor of December what else would I be doing but linking up with wonderful Farley over @ Oh' Boy 4th Grade for her currently.

Does anyone else just {L.O.V.E.} those AT&T commercials with the adorable little kids? My current favorite is this one...

That little darling is just the cutest!

I am love, love, loving that it is the Holiday Season! My favorite time of year.  I really enjoy going out shopping for the people that I love and buying toys/games to donate to the little ones who don't have a Christmas like my parents could provide me as a kid.  I just wish I had more money to spend on everyone.  I am pretty good at finding amazing deals though!!  I swear, I should start my very own "Christmas Shopping for you!" business. This year, I'm not doing too much gift shopping because my family and I are going on a trip to Daytona Beach instead! We're leaving December 26th and won't be back until the 1st! 6 glorious days at the beach.  Oh I hope it's warm!

One of my favorite Holiday traditions was setting up all of the Holiday Decorations with my family.  My dad is a Christmas nut.  He just LOVES all things Christmas (especially decorations) so we'd get everything out of storage, unpack, put together our village, take out everything else, decorate inside, then head outside.  We used to have friendly competitions with our neighbors and we swore every year we would beat them! We never really did though!  

C'mon intersession...10 school days to go!  When is your last day before the Holiday Break? (Mine is the 13th)

Cyber Monday (& Tuesday)

Don't forget about the big cyber Monday & Tuesday sale going on right now!  My store will be 20% off and with the code "CYBER" you can save another 10% for a total of 28%. Crazy!  My cart is stocked up with some fabulous resources & clip art!

Thanks to Krista from Creative Clips for the adorable graphic!

Just in time for the sale is my newly updated U.S. Symbols & Landmarks research resource!

My students and I will be working on this project this week.  It is always one of my favorites (oh & theirs too!) Check back sometime this week/next week to read about it!

You might also like to check out this Forces & Motion Unit for upper elementary students! It has everything you need for your unit!

Only $6.47 today and tomorrow!

10 days until intersession! :)