Keeping Up With Kirbys

Well, I am cutting it close this year.....sheesh!  Normally by this time I would have gifts all wrapped up and sent home.  I just really procrastinated this year with what I wanted to do.  I think I pinned everything on Pinterest.  I loved the reindeer ornament on the small canvas but after pricing those cute little things, I had to come up with something new. So as I was walking away from the cute little canvas isle I noticed a SALE on beautiful, shiny, and clear christmas bulbs.  PERRRRFECT!! So right then and there it had be decided.  We will make reindeer with our thumbprints.  I've seen that somewhere but cannot think of where.  I thought it was something that I had pinned on Pinterest but I couldn't find it on my board.  So I bought and borrowed some acrylic paint and we got started.  A teamie of mine said "I love you dearly". Yes! Yes! Yes!  I'm the worst photographer EVER....and I should paint my nails....anyway, didn't they turn ou

I just love reader's theater.  I think it is fabulous and there is just soooo much you can do with it (I'll share some of the things we do later).  Usually I do reader's theater in my small groups but this week we are doing it as a whole class.  We are reading How the Grinch Stole Christmas, { click here } to get a copy for your class.  It's perfect for a large class and I had planned for the kids to read it to their parents at the Christmas party buuut...........my little sweeties keep getting sick.  I had 3 out today and sent 3 home throwing up.  Yikes!!  Hello Lysol!!   Last week we learned the long o sound spelled ow, oa, and o.  I made a game for the kiddos to play and thought I would share it with you.   { click here } We have also spent the entire school year (it feels like) learning types of sentences and using the correct terminology.  There is really nothing cuter than to hear them tell me it's an interrogative sentence.  They truly butcher  mispron

It seems after this weekend the things that I felt were so important and busy with are no longer so important.  It is time to slow down and treasure each and every minute in the day.  This weekend the Mr. and I spent time with our children and each other.  It wasn't different than any other weekend other than it was intentional.  We slowed down and treasured each moment. Getting ready to hunt with daddy. {GASP!}  Being chauffeured around town. Cooking treats with my sweet.  As much as I want to stay home with my sweets and never leave the house, the other part of me can't wait to hold to the kiddos in my classroom.  I have been reminded to  treasure the moments in the classroom especially during such a busy time of year.  My heart and prayers go out to the families and everyone involved with Sandy Hook Elementary.   A little update with what's going on in the classroom.   We just finished Junie B. Jones, Jingle Bells Batman Smells and the LOVED it.  I

Yessss another craft but the kids love them and to do them at the end of the week to tie everything together makes it good for them and good for me.  If you keep up with my blog and I keep up with the craft activities you will know exactly where we are in our reading adoption. :))  This week we have been reading My Family from our basal (Journeys).  In the story, the kids learn all about a little girl's family and the activities they take part in together.  I thought the kids would really enjoy comparing their family with Camilla's (girl in the story) family and making a craft to go with it.   Okay, paper dolls??!!  Have you made one??!!  I think the kids will LOVE this.  I found instructions online and a wonderful template to use, so I put it all together to make it easy for myself and the kids to use.  Aren't they cute???!!  I think once we are finished making these and writing about them it could lead to a great math activity....hmmmm....... You can { click

During my morning blog stalk  visits I found a fantastic linky party.  Thank you Cynthia over at 2nd Grade Pad for hosting.  Everyone LOVES  a freebie.....so she has asked each teacher to link up their favorite freebie and share it with others.  Great idea!!  Stop by her blog and see everyone's favorite freebie. I think my favorite right now is my Fable Unit, mainly because I just finished it and there are a lot of different activities.   If you visit my TPT store, you'll notice they are all free right now, so please get what you can use or need.  I just ask that you leave sweet feedback and follow my blog if you find something that you can use.  :)) Happy Monday!

After reading the story Henry and Mudge this week the kids came up with reasons why they would deserve a pet and made a Mudge craft to go with it.   Not really the best picture but they turned out cute.......trust me.  I loved reading why they felt like they deserved a new pet AND their creativity with their dogs.   You can stop by my TPT store and pick up the template for free.  This week we will read My Family, and discuss differences and similarities between the family in the story and our own family.  I plan to upload that craft this week.  Be on the look out.  :)) Well, my weekend has come to an end and BOY!! has it been busy.  I LOVED  every minute of it, though.  We spent time at the park, played 2 on 2 football in the front yard, and then our ENTIRE family (all 4 of us plus Boomer, our dog) ran the 9/11 5K.  The last time I ran was before school started and I oooonly ever run a mile, and both of my little sweets thought they were running a mile fun run.  When we go

I have soooo many little things that I want to share, I just don't know where to start.  And when I say little, I really mean HUGE!!  :))  It all started on Friday when I came to my classroom after having cafeteria duty to find this.... stuck to my computer.  Awwww...she just melts my heart!!  And it was a WONDERFUL day.  I had a sweet student that went to the public library after school on Thursday and had the librarian copy several things about Abigail Adams so that she could bring them to share with the class.  I DID NOT ask her to do this, we had just spent some time this week learning about her and doing some activities.  Isn't that just precious???!!  Excited about learning??--Yeah, I think so.   Then, when I got home I found this.... Remember how I said it's the little things that are SO HUGE?  Well, several weeks ago I mentioned to my sweet husband that I think I would LOVE to have a teapot that whistled. (not sure why, but just seems warm and cozy)

I seriously feel like I'm spinning.......things have been CU.RAZY. busy.  I have wanted to sit down and blog but every time I have a chance to sit down I doze off.  Pure exhaustion, folks.  Beginning of the year is kicking my booty!!  I think we have scheduled more meetings the first few weeks of school this year than our entire last school year.  We started new benchmark testing (I LOVE all of the info) but I think I need a few more hours in the day and a secretary!!  On a positive note, I have retrained my bladder to hold for more than 8 hours and my wonderfully sweet husband is making fabulous dinners for our family. (we'd probably starve right now if it were up to me) So thankful for him! About a month before school started I tried to start getting things together for our fable and fairytale unit.  I would love for you to visit my TPT store and pick it up for FREE.  I just ask that you leave me some sweet notes if do. This unit has anchor charts, phonics

Well, it's here.  It's amazing how fast this summer has gone by and especially the past few weeks.  I have been a busy little chick. First....... My big sass turned 15 and he will begin his sophomore year tomorrow. {sigh} I've finished my classroom.......and I'm sure you're thinking, well yeah, school is tomorrow, BUT let me tell you I don't think you're ever truly finished. Annnd I just finished making my last batch of playdoh for the morning. I made mint chocolate chip, cotton candy, and strawberry shortcake playdoh.  YUMMMO!! I thought the kids might enjoy playing with this in the morning while parents are dropping off and bringing in more school supplies.   I will post pictures soon (before Christmas-I figure I better not promise anything too soon at the rate I'm blogging ;) of my finished classroom........can you believe in a rush to get everything ready and put away I didn't take any after pics of the classroom??  I LOVE before an

When I should be getting ready for meet the teacher night and the first week of school I'm finishing up a fun little reading game.  Ha!! It's what I do.......get sidetracked.  I found this idea on Teacher Tipster , and it is so simple but a GREAT way to practice reading sight words.   I absolutely LOVE games in the classroom.....and so do the kids.  They don't even realize how much they're learning because they are so engrossed in the games.  It's greatness!!   All you need is a Pringles can and Dixie Cups.  I bought Dixie cups from Costco because I wanted to make each one of my teamies this activity.   Next I covered the Pringles can with a cover .  (I made 5 different ones, please feel free to copy any or all if you want) Because these are the taller cans I covered them with construction paper first, then with the cover.  (we got a little crazy with crafting this summer and my lil' sass got ahold of 2 of the lids and painted them, aaannnndddd I t

Well, in between searching Pinterest, visiting classrooms in the bloggy world, and rummaging through the dollar bin in Target I was able to grab some things from TPT to help start the school year.  I've linked up with Blog Hoppin ' to share my finds.  Let me just add that going through this linky party and seeing what other teachers have found has been bittersweet.  I'm bummed that I missed things BUT excited to know that they have now been added to my wish list. ;)  My wish list is ridiculous, though. Okay, first up..........is from my sweet friend Michelle .  She is so amazing and talented.  I love to use books for EVERYTHING.....so I think this next unit will be perfect. This unit will be PER.FECT. for math ideas that first week of school.  Love everything Amy Lemmons does!! There are so many goodies in this packet from Lesson Plans SOS.  I can't wait to get started. :) Wow, my pictures look awful. Ugh!  I'm sorry but if you click

Well, I have marked 2 things off my to do list.  Yay!!....but I'm constantly thinking of more things that I need to do.  Yikes.  I wanted to share some progress pics of the classroom because....really, it helps me feel as though I'm getting some things accomplished. I'm loving Cara Carroll 's bag idea because that space above the cabinets can look so gross. I don't have a Cameo (yet) but this is my version without a it.  This is the mailbox area and the display sheets for the kids work. This is a pic of my word work area.  That neat little cart in the picture has a whiteboard on one side and cork board on the other, plus an area to store tubs in the middle.  Greatness!! And while I was busy making new stacks of things to move, my Big Sass was busy making a giant cupcake for my outside bulletin board. I'm so thankful for the time we spent together today.  He is getting so big...{sigh}.   We are picking up his sophomore schedule tomorrow.