Early Shopping

This post makes me feel sick to my stomach a little...okay- A LOT!!! When it comes to my store on TpT, I just have a hard time putting activities in there. I have about 15 packets I am working on...and I am not sure whether to share them as *freebies* or put them in my store. I LOVE making activities and using clip art and deciding which of my 2,500+ fonts to use...but I am still scared to share my stuff!!!!!!

Just in case you ***might*** want to spend some moolah, I want to share with you a few items in my store. You might want to grab these during the BIG sale!

Click on the button above to go to my store. =)

Leave a heart note and let me know your favorite Christmas movie.

I'll be back later tonight to pick a winner who can go pick 2 items from my store. =)

Sorry it took so long to share the winners.

Maria, Katie K. and Carrie G: I will be sending you an email shortly. =)

I am off to finish working on something with a Groovy Cat who saves Christmas. =)

From My Heart to Yours,

Thank You to My Heroes

I never thought I would have a blog. I still think at least once a week that I shouldn't be doing this! or What in the world have I gotten myself into???!!!??? I am just speechless over here in my little East Texas town wondering why you hop by. I wish I could find the words to let each one of you know how you have blessed me in countless ways.

I love the ideas I have found that make teaching fun and engaging. I love finding *freebies* that save me the time from making an activity that teaches the same concept/skill. I love the stories that remind me to laugh and find humor in the things our little ones do and say

You are the understanding head that nods while you read about my teaching pressures and stress. You are in the trenches with me as we battle things from The Potty Police and boogers to RtI. But most of all, you are the encouraging words that remind me that God calls special people like each one of you to teach. Although I will never meet most of you face to face, you are my sisters in Christ. You are my daily blessings.

I am honored to not only call you my bloggy friends and blessings but I can call each of you a hero as well. Each day you are a hero to the little ones God has placed in your classroom. You are the love and patience they need. At times, you might be the one to show them there are other paths in life to take. And you may not always love the things they do, you love them with all of your heart...or you try to and pray you have that Heart of Patience.

So, take a few minutes and remember that you are a blessing and a hero in the lives and hearts of your little ones and in mine. =)

Here is one of my favorite songs. =)

And as it says in the song, "Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am a life that was changed."

Wishing you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving.

From My Heart to Yours,

I WILL Survive....Turkey Style

I am jealous and unfollowing happy for all of you bloggy friends who are already enjoying their week long Thanksgiving Holiday. I have 2 days or 14 hours or 420 minutes or 50,400 seconds. In the words of my favorite Thanksgiving song, I WILL SURVIVE!

This is Gloria Gobbler's Sequel: You Can't Gobble Me

And you just have to love Can't Stuff This...

Here is a fun time filler engaging sight word activity.

Click here to download. =)

Here is a fun song to add to your poetry journals.

This month will have also been working to earn feathers for good behavior...and reviewing shapes. 

I am sorry for not blogging about this sooner but I've been running around like 

a chicken...or turkey with its head cut off! Lol!

This adventure started with a letter from Mr. Gobbles. 

He was on the run from the farmer. He wanted us to look for shapes that he had hidden around the school. As he was running around, his feathers were also falling out! Poor Mr. Gobbles.

After finding TONS of feathers and 6 different shapes, 

we headed back to our classroom.

When we returned there, we had a package waiting for us.

Inside the package were shape riddles.

After we solved the riddles, we read another letter from Mr. Gobbles. He told us that he had been by our room but the farmer was still after him. He was so scared that when he was trying to talk that not all of the sounds in the word were coming out. We needed to help him find those missing letters and sounds.

To complete our adventure, we made Indian headbands. On the headbands, we made patterns with the shapes we solved riddles about. The kiddos had been working to earn feathers from Mr. Gobbles for making helpful and kind choices.

If you want to check this fun and engaging adventure out, hop over to my TPT store. :)

For those of you already celebrating and relaxing, think of us as

WE SURVIVE the next 2 days. =)

I hope everyone has a relaxing and fun filled time with family and friends. As I count my blessings, I remember each of you. =)

From My Heart to Yours,

A Gift Worth 25,200

I would LOVE to give you a gift worth $25,200....or just give it to you in cold, hard cash. Can I hear a CHA CHING! =)

There are movie stars that probably spend that much on a dress. Who knows what some athletes drop that kind of money for...?????

A warm, fuzzy teacher response would be how teaching is so much more rewarding than any gift of that value.

I am sure we all hit the Dollar Tree when we buy little gift for our kiddos' Christmas presents. But did you realize you give your kiddos a gift worth that value EVERYDAY????

Each day we have 25,200 seconds with our kiddos.

I know we all think and know that there is not enough time in the day to do everything that is expected of us. I know it is a daily...heck, a hourly race...to keep up in the curriculum.

I often feel like I am Cinderella before the Fairy Godmother comes when I visit other blogs. Everything always seems so magical. I know I do lots of fun and creative lessons with my kiddos but my days are still filled with booger picking, booty scratchin', Lucy Goosey, tootin' and giggling little kiddos.

Kiddos who ask you 10 minutes after lunch Have we been to lunch yet?

Kiddos who tell you they have a question but then tell you a story about their daddy when he drinks too much beer.

Kiddos who start rolling around on the rug when you are reading your favorite story in your best character voices.

Kiddos who go to work on the wonderful craftivity you worked so hard to create and pre-cut the templates for and.....they turn it into an Edward Scissorhands disaster.

I visit these wonderful and inspiring teaching blog written by amazing women who must be like Snow White because when they open their mouths they must enchant their children and have forest animals flocking to hear their magical voice.

I realize though that my kiddos will always love the lessons when we have visitors like Stretchy Snake, Pete the Cat, Chester Raccoon, Lips the Fish, the Letter Snatcher, and very soon Mr. Gobbles the rescued turkey who lives with Santa at the North Pole.

But am I creating and sharing with them the moments that let them know how much I care???

Am I giving them a few minutes to let them be the 6 and 7 year olds that we seem to forget that they are when we try and meet benchmark after benchmark and master standard after standard???

I realize that it will be in those 25,200 seconds that I teach a child about being patient, helpful, kind, and forgiving because how I react to what they do and say will be a lesson on how they can respond to others when they are faced with a similar situation.

I always try and remember the Conscious Discipline thought about being the person I want others to become.

It is in just a few of those 25,200 seconds that the reaction I make can cause a ripple effect that leads to a tsunami or a tiny pebble that barely skims the water. My words can and do make a huge difference.

When there is arguing, fussing, lying, shoving and defiance, what good does it do anyone if I immediately react by snapping at a child or fussing at them because of all the fussing?

It is in those few seconds before we open our mouths that have the greatest impact on whatever the situation is.

One of my favorite parts of Conscious Discipline is that it teaches children the tools they need to become problem solvers but the most valuable part is without a doubt the lesson it teaches me about how to help my children.

I want for the 25,200 seconds I have with my kiddos to be as productive as possible. I want them to be full of fun and engaging lessons. I want them to help my kiddos be the best 1st graders they can be.

I want them to help build a school family of helpful, kind, and patient individuals.

I want them to be little moments where I laugh with my kiddos and act silly.

I want them to be full of hugs and smiles

I want them to be little gifts to each child that let them know I care about them....even when they forget and are booger picking, fussy, Lucy Goosey Firsties.

It is in our gift of 25,200 seconds that a difference can be made Because of YOU.

This song always helps me to remember that what I want in my classroom I have to give....as well as to stop and think of others and the struggles they might be facing.

On to some turkey fun....

I love *freebies*. =)

Here is a fun activity I recently added to my TpT store.

Mr. Turkey is so scared. He is afraid he will soon be someone’s Thanksgiving dinner. As he tries to talk, he gets so nervous that he is never able to finish saying the words. All of the words he says are missing the final sound. Help him find the missing sounds on the feathers he has lost.

This is a fun activity that your kiddos will love. It is perfect for Word Study and as part of your Thanksgiving unit. A fun song and story help engage your children as they listen for the missing final sound in a word.

It is on sale right now.

Click here to go check it out! =)

I would love for you to leave me a heart note.

What gift can you give in those 25,200 seconds?

From My Heart to Yours,

A President and a Difference

Tonight is an important night. Many people are putting their faith in the outcome of this election. Every election has a HUGE impact on each one of us. Whether the results of the election make you happy or sad, the world will still go on. There will be celebrations and tears. A bad attitude won't change things. My faith is in God and I must lean on Him and not my own understanding.

Tomorrow you will wake up with a new president or we will welcome the other one into another term. You will go to school and face the same obstacles, challenges, and children. Fussing and complaining about it won't really make a difference...although it does help us feel better at times.

In the past month, you experienced the freedom to vote, make a difference, and let your voice be heard.

Tomorrow you will meet numerous people who need YOU to be their difference....the children in your classroom.

About 2 weeks ago, I had a Wal-Mart Greeter kind of day....except I no longer feel as if I could do that job and see all of those wild children out of control...Have I told you the story about the child that was licking the floor in Wal-Mart???!!!???? Kind of makes you want to throw up doesn't it.

I was feeling frustrated. I realized that I have a choice to be reactive....holler, punish, reward the "good" kiddos, threaten with Sad Notes, blame them for my feelings, or let my negative emotions take control.

OR

I could be proactive and tackle the frustrating issues with a plan and remember Conscious Discipline and that nobody can make me angry or upset without my permission. Instead of thinking How can I get this child to stop ______________________ I need to start thinking How can I help this child more likely choose to _________________?

Thinking about how I could handle these problems in our classroom made me think of the election. A president wants to come in and "fix" things We often have to face new challenges that someone tried to fix but are now beyond our control.

I think teachers are often taught quick fixes to solve problems (I know I learned some in college). These quick fixes often don't carry over outside of the classroom. I want to teach my children ways to be problem solvers but more importantly how to be kind and helpful because they want to...not to get a reward or to have their clip moved. When is the last time you got a reward for doing the right thing?

What happens in Washington today, in January, or 4 years from now is not what will make me a better teacher. I have to be the one to decide what attitude I face each day with and more importantly what attitude I use to help each child God has placed in my classroom. Obama or Romney will not make as much difference in a child's life as YOU will. 

I want you to take a few minutes to think about these quotes:

And because I love and treasure each one of you, here are some *freebies*. =)

Click here to grab this quick and easy dice game.

This is a fun spin and graph game.

Hop over here to grab this one. =)

Here is a fun digraph sort.

Grab this *freebie* here.

I hope you enjoy these *freebies*.

I would love for you to tell me about a kind of problem you might be having in your classroom.I know I don't hold the golden ticket answer but I have found many things through Conscious Discipline and my own beliefs that have made a difference. I would love to share them with you too. =)

If you can, please take a few minutes and leave me a heart note...I treasure each one.

Remember, you are more than a president....you are the daily difference who leaves your heart prints on a child.

From My Heart to Yours,