Monday Made It... on a Tuesday

The summer is certainly winding down and I (like you too, I'm sure!) am busier than ever! I spent the day trying to work in my classroom.  My poor boyfriend had to go with me and listen to my ranting as he put together several items (2 shelves and a desk chair).  Couldn't have done it without him!

So I'm linking up with my first ever Monday Made- It... on a Tuesday. 

Better late than never, right?

I LOVE birthdays!  I always like to give my kiddos something to take with them.  I found these pencils at Walmart for $1 a pack.

I found these super CUTE printables from Lucky to Be In First!

I cut each of them out and attached them to the pencils.  I will put them in my clear paint can from Michael's so they are easily accessible on birthdays.

Another thing I've been working on are my Goodwill finds.  I got 2 of these chairs for $5.50 each.  I didn't really like the khaki color and wanted something a little more fun!

I spent a few days sanding them.  (I have decided that I strongly dislike sanding!) And found this fun color at Home Depot.

I cannot wait to put these in my classroom library!!!!

And then I decided to jump on the "Teacher Toolbox" bandwagon.  But I have wanted one for my desk and one for my guided reading table.  I brought really bright scrapbook paper from Target and used a template that I downloaded from Fun in 4B.  I love the way that they turned out.

Evidently, I've been feeling extra crafty lately!  

I spent the weekend with a wonderful group of bloggers!  Amanda over at Teaching Maddeness put together a great SC blogger meet-up where I got to meet a lot of the bloggers that I currently follow.  I also got to meet a lot of bloggers that I now follow! :)

Brooke from Whooo's in Second?

Sarah at Education Electrification

Diane at Fun in Second Grade

Heather at Room 4 Imagination

Elisabeth at Twins, Teaching, and Tacos

Amber at Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher

Natalie at Teachery Tidbits

Kim at Thanks to a Teacher

Kris at The Poole Pages

Brandee at Creating Lifelong Learners

Ginger at GingerSnaps

Rachel at The Tattooed Teacher

Elizabeth at Fun in Room 4B

Ashley from Primary Teacherhood

Tammy at Life, Love, Literacy

Emily AND Kerry at Third and Goal

The Charleston girls - so jealous of your location and loved talking with you at lunch.  I say we have next year's meet-up in your zip code! :)

Lauren at The Sweetest Thing

Jeannie at The Second Grade Surprise

Lana at 4 The Love of Teaching

Amanda at Teaching Maddeness

Go check out some of my new bloggy friends! 

Smiles and Snapshots! :)

August Currently

I'm confused. It's August ALREADY?  Where did June and July go?  I have no clue but I've spent the day at my new school in my new classroom and I am so excited!  To celebrate, I am linking up with Farley for her Currently!

 

 

Listening:  AGT is on.. same episode as last night.  Really I'm just killing time until Big Brother comes on at 9!  Anyone else addicted? 

  Loving:  So this week I OFFICIALLY became a Thirty-One consultant.  I'm stoked!  Interested in getting a new teacher bag for this year or a new thermal tote for you or your child?  Don't have a consultant?  Interested in having an online/catalog party even if we don't live in the same state? Visit my site: https://www.mythirtyone.com/388439. (or email me at longc2013@gmail.com)     ( Shameless plug OVER :) )   Thinking:  I am so excited about attending the SC blogger meet-up this weekend in Greenville. I have never been to one but I am looking forward to meeting some awesome teachers.   Wanting:  I am seriously in overload with ideas for my classroom thanks to Pinterest, instagram, all of the blogs I stalk.  I have zebra again but adding  a lot of neon throughout.  Do you have a theme or color scheme this year?   Needing:  I love my little Scotch laminator and I LOVE laminating stuff.  However, I have a deep hatred for cutting it out.  Ugh!   B2S Must Haves: 1. teacher bag: thirty-one of course! 2. EC planner:  What did I EVER do without?! 3. Post-Its:  There is just something so wonderful about opening up a new pack of colorful post-its!  I love lists so it's right up my alley!   Alright! Go link up!   Smiles and Snapshots! :)

Latest Back to School Purchases

 Loved this ecard!  I am loving planning for my new classroom but I will be sad when summer ends!!!!

 

GREAT news!  I finally got my cast off!  WAHOO!  Now it's on to physical therapy and learning how to walk again but I've been promised that I will be walking without crutches by the time that teacher workdays start.

 

Recovering from this surgery has made me one heavy duty online shopper.  Here are a few things that I purchased...

 

 

I had to have this chair for my classroom.  They are currently on sale so I ended up buying 2.  They will be great in my reading area.  Sorry the picture looks a little blurry!

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Big-Joe-Bean-Bag-Chair-Multiple-Colors/20525956

 

 

 

Next up are these baskets for my classroom library.  For the past 3 years I have been using dollar tree baskets that break like crazy!  Those were cheap but I needed to spend a bit more money this time to get something that will last a little longer.  These come in packages of 6.

http://www.target.com/p/room-essentials-medium-stacking-basket-set-of-6-black/-/A-14484319#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=room+essentials+medium+stacking+

 

 

 

Anyone else love livingsocial deals and groupon?  A few weeks ago I bought a living social deal... $10 for $50 of products on Vistaprint.com.  I've been browsing and browsing and browsing but I decided that I would get stamps for my classroom.  The first one says "Miss Long thinks I am awesome!!!!" and the 2nd is for parent signatures.  I'm in LOVE with the 2 that I created.  I can't wait to use them!!!

 

I raided Goodwill today and bought several things for my classroom.  I love a good bargain! I can't wait to post my newest project! :)

 

Off to finish watching this "Law and Order: SVU" marathon! :)

 

Smiles and snapshots! :)

Favorite Pins Friday and Giveaway Winners

I am O.B.S.E.S.S.E.D. with Pinterest.  It has gotten even worse since I’ve been in a cast all summer.  I’m ready to get some Pinterest projects going for my new classroom at my new school!  WAHOO!  So just to justify all of this pinning I’ve been doing lately, I’m linking up with Cara at First Grade Parade to share some of my favorite pins!

 

 

Teaching Pins

http://firstgradefresh.blogspot.com/2011/09/literacy-work-stations-launch.html

I love this!  I really want to do some sort of focus wall/main stage in my classroom this year!  It would be a great way to display the learning objectives for the week.

 

Food Pins

http://www.ziplist.com/recipes/1488136-Skillet_Chili_Mac?spJobID=319062858&_szp=419489&spReportId=MzE5MDYyODU4S0&spUserID=MzM3MTU5MDQwMDcS1&spMailingID=5465196

YUM-O! And it uses ground turkey which I love!

 Quotable Pins

http://spiritualinspiration.tumblr.com/page/3

This is the perfect quote for me.  So often I worry about things but this quote reminds me that I need to have patience because God may not be done with exactly what I’m going through. 

 

http://www.inspiredbycharm.com/2013/01/lessons-from-amy-poehler.html

I love to be silly… especially in my classroom.  It helps me connect to my kids.  Hey, if I have to teach nouns and verbs by making up a silly song and marching around my classroom in a witch hat, then so be it! 

Products

http://craziestgadgets.com/2010/11/12/the-dipr-is-an-oreo-dunking-spoon/

This is absolutely going in my boyfriend’s stocking for Christmas this year!  How cool is this?!

 

And my giveaway ended last night!  A special congratulations to Pauline and Lauren.  Pauline received my Detective Theme Classroom Schedule Cards and Lauren received my Common Core Writing Curriculum!  Didn’t win but still have your eye on something in my store?  Well, I’m having a sale so go ahead and grab what you need!

Smiles and Snapshots! :)

June Currently... a little late!

Oh yes I'm late at Farley's Currently this month but here it goes....

 

 

Listening:  I'm over at my boyfriend's parent's house and his mom is playing some instrumental music.  It's so calming.  I probably need to play more of this in my life!!!

  Loving: Family dinner.... the reason why I'm over at his parent's house.  It's a weekly tradition with his entire family.   Thinking:  It took me several hours but I FINALLY uploaded all of my latest TPT stuff!  Can I get an AMEN?    Wanting:  to get this cast off.  That, my friends, will not happen for SEVERAL more weeks.    Needing:  I have 3 books that I need to delve into ASAP!  One is the Café book (I've already read it but it's been a while), and 2 Reading/Comprehension/Guided Reading Books.  I need to get started!   Tips, Tricks, or Hints:  Do what you LOVE!  If I make something for my TPT store, I make sure that I love it.  If I don't love it, then I can stand behind it.   I only put out products that I love and that I enjoy to create.  I encourage you to do the same.   Go link up with Farley!  Better late than never!   Smiles and Snapshots!:)

Bloglovin and a Giveaway! :)

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Have you heard the news?  Google Reader is no more and we’re all moving to Bloglovin.  Have you moved yet? 

 

Make sure you are following my blog on bloglovin so that you can get all of the updated information!



I spent last week in Panama City with my boyfriend and his family.  Although I was on crutches/in a wheelchair, it was still an amazing trip!  It was so relaxing.  I didn't even take my laptop! (That was a struggle!)  Here are a few pictures from our trip...

My favorite purchase!  #loveduckdynasty

 

While I’m healing from surgery in my pretty purple cast {yuck!}, I’ve been adding a LOT of items to my TPT store.  Especially all of my camping theme items!!!!  I am SO in love with this clipart from Maree Truelove.  I also learned (thank you pinterest) how to save my files into a zip file.  So now I am starting to bundle all of my décor packs.  It’s a great way to save money and get everything you need!  WAHOO!  {GO HERE} and check it out!  Are you doing a theme in your classroom this year?  What would you like to see?

 I've decided to do a giveaway! How about an item of YOUR choice from my TPT store? 

1. Follow my blog on Blog Lovin

2. Follow my TPT Store.

3. Follow me on instagram.  (longc2013)

 

4. Leave a comment and let me know what item YOU would like to win!

  

a Rafflecopter giveaway Go ahead and enter.  What are you waiting for??

 

Smiles and Snapshots!

June Currently

Happy June!   I’m linking up with Farley over at Oh Boy 4^th Grade for her monthly currently.

 

Listening:  I love the Big Bang Theory.  I own every episode but still watch it on tv ALL the time.  My favorite shirt would have to be my “Bazinga” shirt with Sheldon’s face on it.  Oh boy.  Love.

Loving: We only have one more whole day and 3 half days of school left.  Many of my kiddos will not come this week so I did our whole class gifts yesterday after awards day.  Here’s what my room looked like before they came in. I was so excited.

 

I got sand buckets at Dollar Tree and painted their names on them.  I filled them with goodies that I got from Oriental Trading (a jump rope, bubbles, and a beach ball). 

 

 

 

Their morning work was to blow up the beach ball and have their classmates sign it with the marker that was in their bucket.  They looked at me like I was crazy!  “No writing morning work?  What?”  I also put a DVD in their buckets with a iMovie of all of my favorites pictures from the school year.  This is probably my favorite thing EVER!  And then I used the candy awards from over at Shenanigans in Second.  They loved this and ate their candy while we got to watch our DVD.  I will certainly miss my kiddos!

Thinking: I have a lot to do!  That’s an understatement.  And here comes the big news {drum roll please….} .  I am moving schools!  I will still teach 4^th grade but I will team teach.  I have the amazing opportunity to teach ELA and SS all day!  Oh man.  I’m PUMPED!  So I am in the midst of getting everything packed up, finishing up the year, scheduling surgery (ASAP), and etc.  But I am so glad that this door has been opened and I am excited to begin the 2013-2014 school year at my new school.  WAHOO!

 Here's a peek at the chaos right now.

 

Wanting:  So I broke down and ordered an Erin Condren planner.  I’ll be honest… I am a planner snob.  I write everything in it.  I have it color coded for the various items.  I keep hearing how AMAZING this teacher planner is and I kept telling myself that I would be ok with my normal little planner (usually from Target).  However, I watched the video on Erin Condren’s website and I knew I had to have it.  Seriously.  So right now the status on my account says “In Production”… hurry up.  Get here.  I can’t wait to color code you! {Nerd Alert!}

Needing:  I have started my TPT to do list for this summer.  I am going to be in a cast post-surgery so I will have a LOT of time to make items for my store.  But I have some things I am already working on and need to finish.  I had a request for a Paisley theme pack so make sure you head over to my store and check out all of the paisley items that I have added.

Vacay Essentials:  My phone... I love my iPhone and I am an instagram addict.  Go look me up! (longc2013). 

I have the best beach chair ever!  It’s a Tommy Bahama chair that I got from Costco.  It has a pocket on the back, doubles as a bookbag, and has several holders.  I’m in love with it.  And my lovely hat... I got the cutest monogrammed hat!!!!!  I can’t WAIT to wear it on the beach this year… or just on trips to Walmart when I don’t feel like fixing my hair.  Can I get an amen?? :)

 

 

 

Head on over to Farley’s and link up with your own Currently!

Smiles and Snapshots! :)