The Pencil Sharpener That Takes a Lickin' and Keeps on Tickin'

I'm sure most, if not all of you have seen this fantastic pencil sharpener ALL OVER the internet and on lots of blogs!  Well there's a very good reason it is getting so much attention...it's FANTASTIC!

I was sent this handsome pencil sharpener in return for an HONEST review which is what I am going to give you!  

First, I love the way it looks (excuse the poor pics please)!  It's part retro, part modern design matches any decor!  It comes in blue (the one I received), red, black and green!  I will admit that I would NOT  turn down a pink version (hint, hint Troy).

Second it is super easy to use!   Really it's as easy as 1-2-3!  You can either attach it to a counter or desktop or just stand it on a flat surface.  To sharpen your pencil you simply:

1.  Pinch the black knobs together while extending the silver portion of the sharpener outward.

2.  Pinch the black knobs together again and insert your pencil fully into the sharpener.

3.  Turn the handle a few times until the silver mechanism moves closer to the sharpener base and you know you pencil is perfectly sharpened!  

Have you ever seen a pencil as sharp?  I know you're thinking that it probably breaks easily but it doesn't! And let me assure you the KIDS love how sharp these pencils are!  I love that it makes their writing so much neater!

Want MORE reason's to love it?  Well it's quiet!  Now it's not completely silent but it is BY FAR the quietest pencil sharpener I know of.  In addition, the shavings go into the see-through cup on the bottom so you can easily determine when it needs to be emptied.  The cup easily slides out so you can dispose of the shavings quickly and then it slides right back in.

Perhaps the #1 reason I love this sharpener is that even if it gets dropped on the floor by an overzealous first grader and gets banged up a bit it keeps working!  Granted the shaving cup has a tiny ding in it but the rest of the sharpener looks as good as it did the first day I received it and folks it fell on a CONCRETE floor! 

Now I said I'd be completely honest so therefore I will tell you I did have one small difficulty with the sharpener.  I had several pencil points break inside the sharpening device which caused it to temporarily stop working. HOWEVER, this was SO easy to remedy!  I just quickly pulled off the handle (just a half twist) and then tapped it on the side of the wastebasket and the pencil point went right into the trashcan.  I twisted the handle back on and the sharpener was ready to go!  You can't do that with those big electrical sharpeners!   I don't believe most people who own this sharpener have had this problem, I think perhaps mine may have a tiny imperfection that causes this to happen and it has ONLY happened with colored pencils.

Now seriously folks...this pencil sharpener rocks!

Don't just take my word for it...go check out this sharpener for yourself!  I KNOW you will LOVE it!

Just click the picture below!

February Currently and I'm NOT last this time!

Unlike last month I am right on time linking up with Farley for the February Currently!  Yahoo!

Listening:  Have you seen the Paranormal movies?  They are pretty much all the same but my fiance loves them and hey, at least they are WAY better than the Blair Witch Project.

Loving:  I'm having lots of fun making new fonts!  I showed my coworkers the program today and I think they are now hooked too! The font I used on my Currently is my handwriting.  So fun!

Thinking: This winter has been so unbelievably cold.  Believe me, I understand cold since I've lived in New Hampshire for most of my life but the older I get the less I can tolerate it!  I need a Florida vacation!

Wanting:  I really need an ink friendly printer.  I  have an HP all-in-one that prints probably about 100 copies or less per ink cartridge.  I just spent $140.00 tonight on 4 cartridges.  Yikes!  If you have a great printer I would seriously appreciate a recommendation!

Needing:  I've started making a lot of things for my classroom but I haven't finished any of them!  I've been creating a little bit at a time and using them with my kiddos.  I need to get ahead of the game!

Pet Peeves:  It drives me crazy when people take credit for something that someone else has made or an idea they created.  Give credit where credit is due!

I'm off to finish the rest of the movie and comment on the other blogs who have linked up!  Don't forget to join in the fun!

If you haven't checked out Khrys' super cute blog you should head right over!  She has an amazing 100 followers giveaway going on right now!

Late to the Party

I think I may be the last person to link up with Farley but since I missed December's Currently I had to make sure I didn't miss January!

Listening:  Did you watch the new show that premiered yesterday called Deception?  I watched it as I blog stalked/started this post last night!  I like it!  It reminds me of a cross between Missing and Revenge.
Loving:  I love my IPad Mini that my fiance bought me for Christmas!  I've already downloaded iFontmaker and have played around with it a bit.  Fun!!!!  I'm also loving the amazing banner that I won from Christi Fultz's craft blog  Little Apple Cuties who also blogs at Ms. Fultz's Corner .  She created this for me using my classroom colors (mostly pink and green and dots on chocolate). I chose my soon (October of this year hopefully) to be married name for the banner.   Isn't it beautiful? I can't wait to get married so I can hang it up in my classroom!  She is one truly talented lady!  If you don't already follow BOTH of  her blogs you really should!  Thanks again Christi!

{Source:  Little Apple Cuties}

Thinking:  How glad I am that we finally (with voter approval) have a 3 year teaching contract in my district.  I was a part of the negotiation team and it took us two years to reach this agreement (we went "without" a contract, i.e., pay increase this year).
Wanting:  I really think I want a digital SLR camera.  I have a regular SLR but since no one uses film anymore it's pretty useless.  :o) I'm thinking I might use the extra money I earned negotiating our teaching contract to buy myself one.  I'm having a hard time not using that money to pay a bill though.  If I do splurge I'm leaning towards a Canon T3i.  Anyone have any advice?
Needing:  I truly don't need anything.  I'm very grateful for what I have; a loving family, a job that I love, and amazing friends.  I do NEED to be a more consistent blogger!  I find myself reading SO many blogs that I run out of time to post on my own blog!  Does this happen to anyone else?
OLW:  Prioritize.  It seems like a silly word but I couldn't think of a better word for what I want to work on (I wanted to choose "Let it Go" but unfortunately that's three words).  I want to blog more which requires that I read blogs less (not something I want to do).  I want to share more of my creations with the 100+ followers I have (how did that happen by the way? ).  I want to spend more time with family and friends and less on school work.  I want to find time for hobbies (like photography and crafting) and less on cleaning (I'm a ridiculous clean freak and feel like I can't accomplish anything if everything is not clean around me).  I want to be healthier.  Yes that means eating better and exercising regularly like I used to do.  So what to tackle first?
I hope you all had a wonderful break and a great start back to school!  And if you haven't already linked up with Farley for this month's Currently....go now so I'm not last!

Merry Christmas

From our home to yours...
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary

November Currently and Centers

November is here!  I'm so excited!  It is going to be such a short month!  I'm loving that we don't have  a full week of school the whole month!  Last week we missed two days due to Sandy.  We were all VERY lucky around here and didn't have any damage (some folks had temporary power outages).  Next week we have four days as we have Election Day off (they use the schools for voting) and it's my fiance's birthday!  The following week we have Veteran's Day off and then we have two days the week after so that gives us  FIVE days off for Thanksgiving!  Wahoo!  I'm linking up with Farley from Oh Boy 4th Grade for November's Currently...

This past week we were finally able to fit in the AWESOME Fall Math Work centers from Kimberly at Funky First Grade Fun.

We had SO MUCH FUN!  These work stations include: telling time to the hour and half hour, clothespin addition, clothespin subtraction, addtion +1, subtraction -1 and place value match!  My first graders LOVED the addition +1 game!  My third graders loved the telling time and place value match games and begged to play again and again!  This week I am going to let my firsties play the telling time game (with just the hour cards as we just introduced it to them on Wednesday).  I highly recommend these work stations!  Your kiddos will LOVE them!  Pick up a copy for next year (just click on the picture above to go directly to Kimberly's TpT store)!

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been working on labeling with my firsties and they are starting to get very good at it.  Labeling has been wonderful for improving their vocabulary, language, and reading skills.  This month I'm going to try to work on their writing skills.  I thought I'd share another labeling freebie with you.  If you'd like a copy, just click on the picture below.

Have a great rest of the weekend!  One EXTRA hour of sleep tonight!  I LOVE it!

State Testing and a Freebie!

So we have been completing our state tests for three weeks now.  Okay, not EVERYONE has been testing for three weeks, each grade level has completed their test over the period of a week.  Fifth grade was first, then fourth grade and finally third grade this week.  It has been CHAOS people!  The first two weeks meant that I had to relocate to other locations around the school with my kiddos so my roomie could test her students in our room.  Sounds simple right?  Mmmm yeah, not so much when every other special education teacher, reading specialist and other various interventionists have to do the same thing!  We didn't thrive...but we survived!  Now it's my turn to test one of my students in our room and the poor kiddo has just been in tears because it's the reading portion of the assessment and he's currently reading on a first grade level (he's in third grade).  I felt so,so bad!  He wanted help so badly but my hands were tied...absolutely no help or the test is invalid.  Ohhh and did I tell you the very humorous (perhaps more like ironic), name of our state tests?  They are called the NECAPs!  Yeah like you've been hit in the kneecap and are now incapacitated!  Does anyone at the state level EVER put any thought into the names of these tests?  I'm so happy that we will be finishing up the reading portion tomorrow and moving on to the first math section which my kiddo should do okay with {fingers crossed}.

With all this testing I have missed seeing some of my students.  Boo!  So I am trying to squeeze in as much as possible when I do have them (okay I ALWAYS try to squeeze in WAY to much)!  I have been working in a little labeling practice for my firsties because they need it for the language and reading skills that it provides (not to mention cutting and gluing practice).  I have started to make my own labeling sheets and have one to share with  you today!  Just click on the picture below to download this from Google docs.   I hope your kids enjoy it!

I'll be back soon {hopefully} to review this Fall unit from Kimberly at Funky First Grade Fun.

Check out the fantastic giveaways Tessa is having at her blog by clicking on her button!