Hey Kiddo, It's Your Birthday!

It's no secret that our kiddos live for birthdays.  One of my little guys knows exactly how many days it is until his birthday...and it's at the end of March.  Haha! 

I love to make birthdays special in my room without going way over the top and spending oodles of money.  I've done lots of different things over the years, and I always come back to the idea of a birthday card book.  We love birthday books! My cooperating teacher did these when I was student teaching, and I still love the idea eleven years later. 

Birthday card books are super simple, and my kids LOVE getting their books at the end of the day. 

I start by letting the kids choose a birthday card page to color for the birthday boy or girl.  I have a couple of different black line coloring pages, and you can grab a set here for free.  I always ask them to write a little birthday message on the card.  I model this at the beginning of the year with the first couple of cards. I always give my coloring pages out as morning work, but they'd also be great at a center during reading workshop. I also model coloring neatly and really taking pride in one's work.  The kids love to ask the birthday kid about their favorite colors.  They're so cute about it!

While the kids are coloring, I create a cover for the birthday book.  Again, I keep it simple by just folding a piece of 9x12 construction paper in half.  I decorate the front, and write a little message inside the front or back cover. 

After everyone is finished, hole punch the birthday cards and the cover.  Stick the cards inside the cover, and bind them with brass fasteners...and you're done!  

It's a cheap alternative that integrates writing and fine motor skills into classroom celebrations.  It makes the birthday kid feel special, because each card book is created specifically for them.  How do you celebrate birthdays?  I'd love to hear a few of your great ideas!

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Five for Friday- Nov. 6th

Hellooooo, Friday!

After a super busy but long week, I'm linking up with Doodle Bug's Teaching for....

 

 We began our Pioneers unit in social studies this week.  Today I taught a lesson on Davy Crockett.  At the end of our lesson, we did a directed drawing of Davy Crockett.  How cute are these little guys?!?!  Every time we draw, I'm blown away by the talent in my classroom.  In addition to some things I already had, I used this fabulous freebie by KinderGals. My kiddos rocked the was/could/had chart!

Last week, I wrapped up our unit on the skeletal system just in time for Halloween.  I planned a bones party for the kids, and they LOVED it!  We made these cute little skeleton cupcakes and q-tip skeletons at our party. 

Going right along with the Pioneer theme, my grade level took our annual field trip to the Landis Valley Farm Museum in Lancaster, PA.  It's a pioneer village.  The kids had a fabulous time experiencing life as a pioneer.  The wagon ride was their favorite part.  Those gentle giants, Ben and Maude, were so sweet. 

Today I ordered a kit from Oriental Trading to make our own class quilt.  I'm so excited to do this project again.  I haven't done it in a few years.  The supplies were a little pricey, but the markers last for a while.  I love how the quilts turn out, and the kids get so proud of them.  I can't wait to see all 6 of them from our 6 second grade classes hanging together. 

 

 This past weekend, we went to my cousin's wedding.  It was the first time (I think) that we've had both of our kids at wedding.  They LOVED the dancing!  Julia would not get off the dance floor, and she wanted to dance with her little brother all night long.  She got a little miffed when another little girl wanted to dance with him.  Haha!  My family and I were loving it.  

So, there you have it, 5 random details of my week.  Click over to Doodle Bug's to see who else linked for for Five for Friday! Thanks for stopping by!

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Currently- November!

It's November 1st, can you believe it???  That means it's time to link up with Farley from Oh' Boy 4th Grade.  

Here's what I'm currently up to...

Listening
The weekends are for football in our house.  We're Philadelphia Eagles fans, but they have a bye week.  I'm rooting for Denver tonight.  I will always love Peyton Manning. He's such a stand up guy and a phenomenal athlete. 

Loving
We bought a new bed and mattress about a week and a half ago, and it is AMAZING. I just want to sit in bed all day every day.  It was a major upgrade for us.  We had an old, old queen.  Our frame cracked last spring after several moves, and we finally replaced it.  Our new bed is a king with a half spring-half memory foam mattress.  I feel like I'm sleeping in a hotel every night.  I just love it!

Thinking
I really, really should have gone into school today.  I still have Halloween stuff up from Friday.  I need to get my monthly things switched over, and I have so much filing to do.  I just hate leaving my family at home on my days off, ya know?  My husband, who's also a teacher, is always super supportive of me going in when I need to, but I always feel guilty.  So, the mess will just have to wait.

Wanting
I confess that I am a shop-a-holic.  Aside from a sweater and jeans from my Stitch Fixes, I haven't gotten anything new for fall.  I haven't had the chance, and I'm on a tight budget.  This is hard for me!  I am really wanting a new jacket to replace my ratty North Face.  I am also looking for a pair of tall black boots, maybe something with a wedge.  I don't want them to look like motorcyle boots, but I don't want a spiky heeled pair.  I'm picky with my boots.  I really hate cheep looking boots. Any suggestions???

Needing
We still have remnants of costumes laying around.  Candy bags are on the counters, and our soggy scarecrow is sitting on the front porch.  My little ones loved Halloween this year!  Julia was a butterfly, and Bennett was a caterpillar.  They looked so darn cute!  They weren't scared at all, which is a big change from last year.

Yummy
I made a grilled pork loin with mashed potatoes, green beans, and biscuits for dinner.  Those flaky biscuits were so dang good smeared with butter and jelly.  We have homemade strawberry jelly that my mom and I canned over the summer.  I love that stuff! I don't have the recipe for the jelly.  I usually make the 7-Up biscuits from Plain Chicken, but tonight I just made Grands.  They were just as delicious. 

Thanks again to Farley for the monthly link up.  I love reading through everyone's Currently posts.  Check them out for yourself!

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Trendy Teachers- What the Teacher Wore Wednesday!

Yikes, it's been almost a month since I last blogged!  I'm learning to balance my time between family, school, TPT, and blogging.  Learning being the key word there!

I'm linking up again for What the Teacher Wore Wednesday with some teachers with fabulous style- Chandra from Teaching With Crayons and Curls, Caitlin from Teach, Inspire, Change, Brittany from The Posh Teacher, and Lindsey from It's Elementary, My Dear. 

My blue gingham shirts are major workhorses in my closet.  I love, love, love gingham, because it's classic and versatile.  Now that the weather actually feels like fall, I can wear some of my favorite long-sleeved tops and dresses with tights.  I'm loving the cooler temps!

Blouse: J. Crew Factory

Shift Dress: Loft

Scarf: Old Navy

Booties: Old Navy

Blouse: J.Crew Factory

Dress: Old Navy

Booties: Old Navy

Blouse: Gap

Cardigan: Target

Pencil Skirt: Gap Factory

Leopard Wedges: Payless

Tassel Necklace: Loft

Monogram Necklace: Very Jane

I have so many of these Merona Favorite Cardigans from Target.  This one is from last year, but they have pretty new colors and patterns every season.  I love them!

...and a few non-gingham outfits just for fun.

Dress: Target

Scarf: Loft

Belt: F21

Sandals: Target

Top: Gap

Pants: Gap

Necklace: Very Jane

Flats: Payless

Have you tried Payless' DexFlex Comfort flats?  They are seriously so comfortable!  I have three pairs of them.  They're really inexpensive, and they're comfy.  I've the above pair for three years, and they look great. 

Thanks again to the pretty ladies above for hosting! Pop over to their blogs to see some really fantastic teacher style!

Enjoy the rest of your week, Friends!

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What the Teacher Wore Wednesday

Hey Friends!
I'm back with my weekly What the Teacher Wore Wednesday.  This week I'm linking up with Caitlin at Teach Inspire Change for Trendy Teachers. 

Here we go...

 blazer/Target

oxford/ J.Crew

polka dot pants/ Old Navy

sandals/Old Navy

bow bracelet/ Katie Bowhead by Kaitlin Kendall Design

watch/Fossil- similar

 

 denim vest/ Target

maxi/ target- similar

necklace/ Purple Peridot

sandals/ Target- similar

 dress/ TJ Maxx

necklace/ Jane.com

pumps/ Target

cardigan/ Target- similar

pants/ Gap

wedges/ Jessica Simpson

So there you have it, another week of teacher looks in the books.  Honestly, it wasn't my best week. Haha!  The weather here has been so humid, which makes me feel blah.  ...and please excuse my messy bedroom.  I have yet to find another spot to take outfit pictures with better lighting.  I'm trying to work on my selfie-game.  :)

Have a stylish week, Teacher Friends!

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Creating an Edible Butterfly Life Cycle

This week we've been totally into the life cycle of a butterfly.  We've read, wrote, and sang all about it.  We also have two butterfly houses in our classroom, one with a monarch and one with painted ladies.  Our monarch is in it's chrysalis.  So much fun!  My kids are completely loving it. 

To wrap up the week, I led them through the creation of an edible butterfly life cycle.  It was simple but really was a terrific review tool.  Overall, I think the entire thing cost less than $10. 

To get started, you'll need plain white paper plates, mini marshmallows, gummy worms, green grapes, and Pepperidge Farm butterfly crackers.  I prepped it all ahead of time, and gave each group a dish with all of the necessary ingredients. 

We started by dividing our plate into four sections, and labeling them with a key word for each stage: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly.

Then, the kids drew a little background for each section.  I modeled the entire thing on the board, but game them freedom with their drawings. 

Next, I gave each group a dish with the food.  They had to decide which food item fit the stage of the cycle.  The kids had no problem with this at all.

After they had the entire cycle built, elbow buddies took turns explaining the life cycle to one another.  Then, we ate it, which was, of course,  the best part.  They were amazed by the butterfly crackers.  LOL! This was a terrific review tool- creativity, vocabulary, comprehension, and food! 

Food Substitutions:
mini-marshmallow: Tic-Tac, M&M
gummy worm: cheese curl, rotini noodle
grape: Tootsie Roll, string cheese cut into fourths
butterfly cracker: pretzel, farfalle noodle (bow-tie)

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What the Teacher Wore Wednesday & Stitch Fix Review

Hey there!

I'm back with another series of outfit posts for What the Teacher Wore Wednesday.  The weather is finally below 90 degrees here, so I can start to bust out a few of my fall favorites. 

 Gingham blouse/ Mindy Mae's Market/similar

Scarf/ Burlington Coat Factory

Jeans/ Target

Sandals/ Old Navy

Bracelets/ Purple Peridot- adorable and on sale!

 Chambray Tee/ Gap

Polka Dot Blouse/ TJ Maxx

Pants/ Gap

Loafers/ Sperry Top-Sider

Necklace- Groop Dealz

Earrings- NY & Co. 

Dress/ NY & Co. 

Cardigan/ J.Crew Factory- similar

Scarf/ Old Navy

Necklace/ Charming Charlie

Sandals/ Target- similar

Leggings/ Old Navy

Miss Reggie just couldn't stay out of my pictures this morning, so I let her have her own spot.  :)

Top/ TJ Maxx

Jean Jacket/ Gap

Jeans/ Target

Necklace/ Very Jane

Wedges/ Naturalizer

Blouse/ J. Crew Factory- similar

Pants/ Banana Republic Outlet

Sandals/ Target

Necklace/ J. Crew Factory

So, this past Friday I received my first Stitch Fix box.  I've been on the fence about trying it for a while, and I finally bit the bullet and signed up.   

Here's what I received:

 I really liked it all except for the purse.  It's red with black piping, and that's just not really my thing. I don't love red and black together.  I kept the jeans.  They fit well and have a nice rise. 

This dress is absolutely adorable.  It's hard to tell, but it's cream, navy, and burnt orange.  I loved the colors so much, and it's definitely something I'd choose for myself.  The cut was really flattering, and the material was a ponte with nice weight.  Unfortunately, it was snug in the hips and belly, and that made me self-conscious.  Those are my problem areas.  So, the dress goes back.

This top was also really cute.  It is black and white with a bird print.  For some reason, I actually really like the critter print trend.  The cut of the blouse is nice, but it had absolutely no stretch to it.  It was too tight in the bust for me.  I don't typically buy topics that are made of silky material, because they are often tight in the chest, and I have two toddlers.  #mamadontdryclean
The jeans I'm wearing were also in my Fix, and like I said, I really liked them.  The denim is nice. They're a little pricier than I'd normally pay, but honestly, I need jeans.  These fit, and I felt good in them.  They paired well with flats and boots.

This jacket was cute, but I didn't love the knit sleeves.   It's kind of a suede material with sweater sleeves.  It's also, obviously, too short.  I felt like it could be part of a fancy sweatsuit, maybe one that J-Lo would wear.  It went back. 

Overall, I was really pleased with my box.  Everything was really cute and in tune with my style.   Everything was kind of pricey, so I did adjust that on my Stitch Fix profile.  I'm a champagne shopper on a beer budget, that's for sure.  I scheduled my next Fix for October, and I'm excited to get it.  It was so much fun to get the box on my door step.  If you want try it, I'd love for you to use my referral code. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Come back again next Wednesday for What the Teacher Wore.  You can check out my Instagram for outfit posts until then. 

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Giveaway Party!

Hey, hey!  It's time for a giveaway!  My friend, Mrs. Nicolau, is having a huge giveaway to celebrate hitting some big milestones.  The K-1 prize pack includes a copy of my Cooking with Fairy Tales unit.  You definitely don't want to miss out on a chance to win some of these fabulous prizes.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

ALL GIVEAWAYS WILL RUN FROM SATURDAY 19TH (6AM CT) UNTIL TUESDAY 22ND (12AM CT)


Mrs. Nicolau is giving away TWO DIFFERENT items of your choice!
Here are your choices (click on the link to see the dimensions and more details):

Let's giveaway a gift card!! Enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a $25 TPT Giftcard! Remember the more entries you have, the more changes you have to win!!!







While we are throwing the house out the window, let's also celebrate with a $21.00 gift card from the AMAZING Melonheadz!

Last, but definitely not least! I have many blog friends that have joined me to celebrate this amazing event! They have all joined me to giveaway bundles by grades!!!

The first bundle is for our Bilingual teachers!

Next is the K-1 Bundle in English!

Last is our 2-3 Grades Bundle in English!

Are you excited enough?! We sure hope so! Stop by Mrs. Nicolau's blog to enter on all these great prizes!!!

While you are there, drop a note to her. She LOVES hearing from her readers! :)

Click on Brinca into Bilingual

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