First Day of School, Monday Made It and Amazing Finds!

Today was our official first day back to school with the kiddos!  It was a GREAT day but I am TEN kinds of exhausted!

I'm linking up with Tara from 4th Grade Frolics for my first ever Monday Made It project!  I actually had LOTS and LOTS of projects that I was going to complete over the summer but I never actually got around to finishing them (so I guess you'll be seeing them in the coming months).  

I'm sure you've seen these all over Blogland and Pinterest!  The kids absolutely LOVED posing for their pictures using this frame (and the other teachers loved it even more than the kids)!

To check out more fun and inspiring crafts on the link below.  

           

I also wanted to share some AMAZING finds that I found at Target today....I'm urging you to run to your nearest Target if you're interested in any of these items!

I already own a Scotch Laminator but when I saw this amazing deal today I just had to scoop it up! Notice the $10.00 rebate form attached to the box!  That's right....I scored this baby for $19.99 (after rebate).  Wahoo!!!!  I'll be lugging my "old style" Scotch Laminator to school and I'll keep this one at home because it takes up so much less space.  L-O-V-E!

My second AMAZING find was this cutie.

Sorry about the glare (ugh),  Isn't this adorable???  I can think of at least five things I want to use it for!  It a dry erase board AND it's magnetic!!!!

My last AMAZING find was this cute little bucket that I'm going to use for my desk supplies (scissors, staple removers, pens/pencils, etc.).  It was only $4.98 (that's half off the original price).  I love the color (which is actually more of a coral color - it looks pink in this picture).

I hope you all had an fantastic Monday!

A Few of my Favorite Things...

I am linking up with Blog Hoppin' for Teacher Week.

Here are my Must-Haves:

  

I MUST have coffee (usually two cups a day) first thing in the morning!  I put off buying a Keurig for the longest time...and just recently bought one for the fiance for our anniversary.  I'm in love now!

My computer!  Yes this is actually my computer (the fiance bought me a laptop skin using a picture of our pug - I {puffy heart} LOVE it!).  I need this for all of my blog stalking, clip art buying and pinning on Pinterest of course!  A close runner up to my laptop would be my Iphone that I use for all of these things too!

 

I HAVE to color code EVERYTHING (yes, even my clothes in my closet are organized by color).  I love, love, love Mr. Sketch scented markers when writing on chart paper!  The chisel tips are the best and the smell is divine!  I use Flair pens for writing on my wall calendar or when grading papers.  Papermate Profile pens are my new favorite pens!  They write so smoothly!  They are super for writing in my plan book or in my calendar (and I bet they are going to rock in my new Erin Condren Lesson Plan book that I won from Katherine at Yay Third Grade- I CANNOT wait to get it!!!!!)

Lots and Lots of cardstock!  I need this to make all of the AMAZING products that I buy from all the talented teachers out there on TpT, TN or in "Blogland."

I love personal laminators even more than the one we have at school (which has thin, flimsy film). Speaking of laminators...if you'd like a chance to win one of your own head over to Sara's blog (just click the picture to take you right to the entry page).

Look What I Bought at the TpT B2S Sale!

I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' to share all of the awesome purchases I made during the TpT Back 2 School Sale.  You can click on the images to take you directly to the products on TpT. 

Up first is this awesome unit jam packed with alphabet activities from the amazing Donna Glynn.  This pack will probably take me through the entire first month of school (maybe even longer).  It's great!

Next is another unit from one of my favorite creators...Julie Lee! This pack is full of literacy and math centers and even includes a take home reader!

This adorable unit from First Grade Fever stars Pete the Cat and has both math and literacy centers/activities.  It's too cute!

The next two purchases are from Doodle Bugs Teaching.  The first one is literacy, math and alphabet centers to go along with the book, Chicka, Chicka, Boom Boom!  The graphics are fantastic! 

This cute little unit stars the mouse from If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.  It has lots of varied math centers.  My kiddos are going to love them!

The next packet is from the very talented Marsha McGuire.  It is full of awesome games and activities to help my kiddos master their letters!  So cute!

The last product I purchased the day after the sale (I think I bought it the second Hope uploaded it - lol).  It's an amazing pack full of labels for desks, supplies, students, etc.  I seriously LOVE it!

Also, if you LOVE giveaways....you should absolutely check out these fantastic blogs!  Just click on the image to be taken directly to the giveaway!

A sleek personal laminating machine from Crayons & Curls ...

Products and an Amazon Gift Card from the Gypsy Teacher...

Cindy is celebrating 100 followers and having a fantastic giveaway!

More Giveaways!

Mel at The Frog Spot is having an amazing giveaway!  Enter to win a free Premium Membership!  That means you get graphics created by Mel in your inbox every weekday...yes you read that right...EVERY weekday you get new graphics!!!  I am a premium member and let me assure you, Mel is AWESOME!

Click on Mel's Giveaway button below to enter!

And Kelly over at The First Grade Fairytales is giving away a $25.00 gift certificate to TpT!!!!  Click on the image below to go to that giveaway (and while you're there why not follow her blog)!

Check Out This Pencil Sharpener Giveaway!

Head over to

(click on the blog button to go directly to the giveaway)

for a chance to win one of these:

I have wanted one of these for SO LONG!  

My First Currently!

I'm linking up with Farley's August Currently for the first time ever!!!!  I'm so excited!

I can't believe it is August already and my summer is almost over!  Boo!!!!  I love, love, love that the Olympics have been on and I've been able to watch some of my favorites like gymnastics, swimming and beach volleyball!   As you can see above, the fiancee is watching a show called "Haunted Highway" because he's in to all things supernatural.  He cracks me up!  I am OVER THE MOON EXCITED that he will be on vacation exactly one week from now!  He hasn't been on vacation in over two years (unless you count the time off he had in February to have his gall bladder removed -lol).  We're not going anywhere too extravagant...just camping, but at least it is AWAY!

I am totally looking for a new printer (I have an HP that uses up ink like crazy) so if you have any suggestions please, please, share them with me!  Likewise, if you have Silhouette or an Erin Condren teacher planner feel free to pass them on to me!  Ha!

Click the link below to link up with Farley's Currently!

Baseball, Boston and Big Brother

Yesterday the fiancee and I went to a Red Sox Game in Boston.  The fiancee was super excited because he had never been to a Red Sox game before (even though they are his favorite team and we live less than an hour outside of Boston).  I was excited because the tickets were free!  Little did I know how many mini fiascoes would occur on our trip.

The first "bump" started five minutes into our ride when I realized that we didn't have my EZ Pass because I had left it in a friend's car when we went on a mini vacation recently.  That was easily solved...we'd just stop at the ATM  for some cash (mmm yeah, I hardly EVER carry cash anymore) to pay the tolls.  At the ATM the fiancee proceeded to withdraw $400.00 from my savings account instead of the $100.00 he was supposed to choose.  Hello big fingers!  As we proceed to drive through the traffic I manage to lock myself out of my bank account by typing in the wrong password too many times on my phone.  Really?  You betcha!

Fifty minutes later we are at Kenmore Square looking for parking....$45.00 here, $40.00 there...and yes finally we find a bargain at $35.00!  All is good as we head into the park and find our seats.  They are good seats, but not great, and seriously folks I don't know who these seats are actually made for but it isn't anyone over the age of 12.  Can you say SQUISHED?  I think I became too familiar with the man sitting on my left!  Yikes!

Soon after we sat down it began to slowly drizzle.  No biggie.  Ummm yeah until the drizzle turned to a regular rain shower for the next two hours!  We finally decided to head out (hey we didn't PAY for the tickets after all).  Just as we left the stadium we hear that they've called a rain delay.  Yeah good choice!  At least the Sox were winning!

We made it back to our car in record time but we were thoroughly soaked and cold. We agree that we won't forget this adventure any time soon!

Doesn't the fiancee look soooooo happy?

So does anyone out there watch Big Brother?  I {big puffy heart} LOVE  it!  I have to admit that I am in love/annoyed with Brittany about a billion times per episode.  Her dead on impersonations of her fellow housemates crack me up!  Yet I don't understand how she CONSTANTLY misreads them in other situations...and then tells people misinformation based on her conversations with those people.  Ugh!  And someone please tell me WHY would Shane save Ashley?  That girl puts the ditz in ditzy!  "My name is Ashley and I don't eat meat because I'm a Veterinarian." I do love the colorful cast!  :o)