Reminder and Vacation!! YAY YAY YAY!

Y'all (I never said this word until I started blogging... there just aren't enough good words to start a blog post with). Have you ever had tons of important things to do... like TONS... but gotten focused on blogging/TPT instead? I don't know WHAT I was thinking throwing a giveaway right before I leave for vacation -- my eyes have been glued to my computer/phone/iPad/other people's phones/you name the electronic device.  EEK!  Well, I'm here with a FINAL reminder so I can go back to living my life ... and now last minute scrambling to do a thousand things.

 

 

THIS fabulous giveaway ends TONIGHT!  Click the image to go check it out. Seriously -- If I could enter/win without it looking terribly suspicious -- I'd be all OVER it!  The bloggers who contributed are absolutely amazing.  So ENTER... NOW... what are you waiting for?

 

Now that I've said those final words... let me tell you about the 56 million things I have to do before leaving for vacation on Saturday.

 

1. Turn in allll my final paperwork for my new job.

2. Finish pulling up carpet because we are getting new floors tomorrow.

3. Move furniture for said new floors.

4. PACK.

5. Get the guest room/guest bath ready for my BIL who is staying with one of my dogs at the house.

6. Get my two furry little boys ready to stay at Momo's and Pawpaw's. YEP... my dogs have names for their grandparents.

7. Work in my mess of a classroom for what seems like the final time before I go back to school. EEK.

8. Grocery shop for BIL and get ferret food so they don't die while we're gone!!!!!

9. Clean up the MESS that the floor people will leave and move all furniture back onto our *hopefully* amazing new floors.

10. Get a fabulous cut and color.

 

Assuming I get all of that done, then Saturday morning I'm leaving to visit my very best friend at her new home in Monterey, California! Her husband just joined the Air Force and that is where they'll be for the next year and a half.  Then, after five days there -- we are meeting some of our crazy party animal besties in Vegas.  I've never been -- and am especially fearful of going with two of the biggest party people I know, so cross your fingers I make it out alive ;)

 

Here .... Goes .... Nothin' !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

K/1 GIVEAWAY FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In the past few weeks, I've shared with you all the news of my move to Kindergarten.  While I was very nervous at first, I find myself getting more and more excited every day.  Plus, after lots of trips to Target and Dollar Tree, I've got lots of new goodies, and don't we all love new stuff?!

In the spirit of new stuff, I've decided to Host a Giveaway for Kindergarten and First grade teachers!! I have so many amazing second grade bloggy buddies, so I have LOVED having the opportunity to collaborate with some fabulous K/1 teachers to get you all some AMAZING prizes! I emailed a few of my favorite bloggers and they've donated some great items for you to win! :)

You can enter to win Kindergarten prizes and/or First Grade prizes up until July 11 at 11:00 PM.  I will announce the winners on Friday!

For the Kindergarten Teachers, Click the links below to check out the items you can win! While you're there, follow these amazing TPT stores (That's one of the ways you can enter to win the giveaway!)

Short Vowels CVC from Me

My First Day of School - A Keepsake Book from Miss Kindergarten Love

Name Activities from Mrs. Jones's Class

Cruisin' Into Kindergarten Activity Pack from Kindergarten Squared

Back to School Forms from Kindergarten Friends

Classroom Library Labels from Krazee 4 Kindergarten

Playful Pumpkins from Sprinkles to Kindergarten

Enter below -- I will be checking the winners for honesty, here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
  

For the First Grade Teachers, Click the links below to check out the items you can win! While you're there, follow these amazing TPT stores (That's one of the ways you can enter to win the giveaway!)

Long Vowel Pack from Me

Winner's Choice of a Timed Math Program from Fluttering Through First Grade

September Literacy Center Menu from Sarah's First Grade Snippets

Calendar Journal from First Grade Garden

Winner's Choice from O "FISH" Ally a First Grader!

Interactive Word Wall Writing Notebook from First Grade in Foxwell Forest

Winner's Choice from Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade

Tropical Flower Classroom Décor from First Grade Frenzy
I Can Write Bulletin Board Set from Bits of First Grade

Enter below -- I will be checking the winners for honesty, here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have I mentioned yet that I'm on facebook now?  One of the ways you can earn entries for this giveaway is to follow me there -- I'm really excited about this new adventure! :) Click the "facebook" image on the top, right-hand corner of my blog.

There you have it! Lots of K/1 FUN!  Enter before July 11 at 11:00 PM to win!

How I Organize for Easy Planning

Last year, I kept as many of my resources as possible, but was simply shoving them in a filing cabinet, organized by month.  With this system, when I needed to find an activity I had used before, I couldn't find it anywhere! I couldn't remember what month I had stored it in, when I had last used it -- anything! If, by luck, I did find what I was looking for, it was squished, scrunched, and all ripped up!  I decided I needed a system that would help me easily locate my resources to speed up my planning process.  So the Drawer/Binder system came into play! I'm linking up to share my ideas with you! :)

 

I purchased these drawers from Staples, though I'm sure you've seen the rainbow colored ones at Walmart and elsewhere!

 

I bought three carts -- but I will use my  math cart as an example.  I used Avery labels and labeled each drawer with a common math strand -- Numbers, Place Value, Computation, Time, Geometry, Money, Measurement, and Graphing/Data.  You can sort of see the labels in this low quality, absolutely terrible picture.

 

I also labeled the spines of 8 binders to correspond with each of the drawers.  Inside the drawers, you will find centers sealed in Ziploc bags. The only things I keep in these bags are pieces for my center, like cards, directions, dice, etc.  I don't keep recording sheets in these bags, because I don't want them to get all crumpled up.  Where do I keep those? 

 

In the corresponding binders!!!  I put one copy of each recording sheet into plastic sheet protectors in binders.  I start at the beginning and I number each page.  I also label the Ziploc bag centers, so you can match the recording sheet to the center.  See?  T17 on the Ziploc and T17 on the sheet protector.  T17 meaning TIME, page 17 (binder page number).

 

 

When it comes time to plan.  I go to the correct drawer, depending on my unit.  I flip through the centers and choose what I'd like to use for the week -- and then I thumb through to find the correct page in my binder to make copies of my recording sheets! Easy peasy! 

 

*Note -- In my binders, I also keep homework sheets, practice worksheets, etc.  I number them as well -- they just won't have a matching center.*

WHOA, HEY! Heads up!
I'm throwing an awesome giveaway for Kindergarten and First Grade teachers starting TOMORROW!! You will not want to miss out on this -- so many amazing bloggers/sellers donating K/1 items to help you with the upcoming year! Come back tomorrow to check it out! :)

Currently and an Easy Giveaway!! Happy July!

Y'all.  It's JULY!  Can you believe it?  By the time this month is over, I'll be back to work.  Guess that means I need to get out and enjoy it, right?  I will be headed to Monterey, California and then Vegas in a couple of weeks.  I'm very excited! If you have any suggestions of what to do -- please let me know!

 

Can't let a month go by without linking up with Farley's Currently!  Check it out and click here to link up with us!

 

 

 

I want to do a quick, easy giveaway to celebrate July!  All you have to do to win is Follow me on Bloglovin', then leave a blog comment with your name and email.  I will be choosing three people randomly to pick any one item from my store!! Choosing winners at midnight tonight, so act quickly!  It's that easy! :)