These are a few of my Favorite Things

My oldest daughter (6 years) was recently introduced to The Sound of Music.

Sometimes I catch her singing tunes or talking about various scenes in the movie.

Well, I decided to share a few of MY favorite things...

for the classroom that is.

And no...I will not be twirling around,
dancing on hills as I share!

(get image out of head...get image out of head...)

My Favorite Brain Breaks:

Koo Koo Kangaroo Songs

My class loves to dance and sing 

to the No Crust song

Dinosaur Stomp is another favorite of ours.

And there are so many more too!

My Favorite Books

Mo Willems books for sure!

Check out his website too if you haven't already.

We also love to watch this version of
The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?
on YouTube.

My Favorite Classroom Games

Candy Land-Sight Word Edition!

 (found this on Pinterest)
and 

Break the Ice Articulation Game
from Busy Bee Speech

Really, you could do sight words on the
Break the Ice cubes also...
or letters/numbers and make matching cards that students have to draw from a pile in order to see which cube of ice they have to knock out.

My Favorite Supplies

I love the Busy Mama Recipes that
Crystal Underwood, author and creator of
Growing a Jeweled Rose gives on her blog.

You can find recipes for peppermint play-doh, pumpkin scented paint, and more!

They smell so good that ya just want to EAT them! ;)

My Favorite Classroom Music

Why, Frozen soundtrack, of course!

What else would we listen to during free time with
all this snow?!

Isn't there some kind of song about
snow going away?
So over it!

~Til next time

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bek

2013 Guide to Staying Sane during the Holidays

This year, our house is all about shaking up tradition

and creating a stress-free holiday season.

I have found some great tips on how to stay sane 

during this time of the year that I am dying to share.

The first tip comes from the Dec. 2003 issue 

of O Magazine. 

Lesley Dorman suggests to...

1) Check your Perfectionism at the Door!

As teachers, we have double the planning...

-Do I have all the food prepared for the family dinner?

-What snacks do I need for my class?

-Who do I still need to shop for?

-What craft should my students make for their families?

-What should I use as table decorations this year?

-Did I remember to send home the party 

supplies request list?

For every list we make in our heads for our home life, 

there is a matching point that takes us back to 

planning for our classroom.

Well I have some relieving news for you...

it all doesn't have to be perfect!

"Reassess, and set your priorities. 

Holiday stress sets in when you try to do it all. 

Tell yourself, "If I have time, I'll do this and that. 

If not, I'll only do that."

~Oprah

Thanks, Oprah! You always have such great advice!

2) Simplify!

Simple does not mean plain or boring.

In fact, simple can be the most beautiful at times.

Especially if it brings peace of mind!

Keep decorations quick and easy-like this one, 

suggested by Lauren Conrad.

This would also make great take-home 

gift after your party!

Need more? Here are 15 must-know tricks

Martha Stewart gives for simplifying your season.

Now don't panic when you read the next one,

but venture out and...

3) Break Tradition!

If you find that you have more traditions

than time to reasonably complete them...

then it's time to think change!

Pick a couple of simple traditions that

are really important to you and keep those.

Or break tradition altogether and do 

something very different from your norm.

This year, my family is breaking free and

 going to the zoo on Christmas Day.

The kids are super excited about 

our new holiday plan and I know we will definitely make some new favorite holiday memories.

4) Try this Stress-Relieving Recipe!

Here is a recipe that will ease your stress for a day...

You try it first and get back to me 

on if it works or not, lol!

5) Take some time out for you!

Pick some of your favorite things to do and 

make the time to do them.

Like baths? Take one!

Enjoy long walks in the snow? Go for one!

Got a book you've been waiting to read? Get started!

6) Take time out to reflect!

Don't forget why you are celebrating.

For me, it means taking a step back...

finding a cozy place by the tree...

and remembering what makes 

Christmas so special to me...

~Merry Christmas!

                     

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bek

Five for Friday Linky Party

It's the end of another week!
And Christmas break is HERE - WOOT WOOT!

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching  again 

to share my Five for Friday!

Speaking of Doodle Bugs Teaching, 

I loved her ornament craft that was posted last Friday so much, that I tried it with my class too. 

I pre-cut the strips of paper and put them in plastic baggies to make it a little more manageable for the kids.

Once we were finished, we laminated it and thread it with ribbon so they would hang on the tree.

So thanks Doodle Bugs Teaching for another great idea!

It went right along with what we've been learning lately and 

also goes perfect with our Measuring Trees...

Another ornament we made this week was from...
You guessed  it!

(I'm telling you-I am an addict!)

This one was more challenging than it looked. 
I found the ornament balls on Oriental Trading. 

One bag of metallic shred was enough for the whole class. 

But it was really hard for the kids to get into the ornament. They loved it none-the-less.

We used a hot glue gun on the 
eyes and nose so that they won't pop off in the future. 

This was the first time some of the kids had 
heard of a hot glue gun...one girl even backed up 
really fast when I picked it up, lol! I assured her 
that nothing was going to shoot out of it!

My Christmas tree is up and ready...

We always put it up the day after Thanksgiving. 

Each year, we take the four kids out to pick out their Christmas wrapping paper. 

They know that on Christmas morning, they may only open the gifts that are wrapped in the paper they chose. 

 This year's hottest gifts under our tree?

Let's just say Lalaloopsy dolls and Batman toys 

will be overtaking our home, haha!

My kids' school has a Christmas Bizarre for the 

students to shop at. This year, we decided to have 

our children buy for each other there instead 

of for mom and dad.

They brought them home to put under the tree on Wednesday. Our family opens up sibling gifts on Christmas Eve (right after a quick Happy Birthday to mom).

Wednesday night, I did what any mom would do...

I PEEKED!

The presents I saw that my kids had picked for each 

other brought tears. Now for those who don't 

already know, my school aged children are 3, 4, & 6. 

Yet, they really took into consideration what each 

other would want and picked things that I know the 

others will absolutely love.

Touching to see that despite all the fighting they do, somewhere deep inside, they truly do care for each other.

I celebrated my birthday with my class this week! 

I'm a Christmas Eve baby...
born during a blizzard in Northern Wisconsin. 
The doctor had to come to the hospital on snow skis, no joke.

And I blessed my parents with a whole lot of me-
I was 11 lbs 14 oz.
Yup! Go ahead and read that again-it's true!

So this year, I picked out my birthday present early. 
Thanksgiving DAY early.

Here's what I ordered:

I'm super excited to get it...
I'm not even sure what to do with it first!

I love playing games, so I'm sure that's where I'll start.
Now...to just find some place quiet that I can go.

Well, there you have it-

Happy Friday! Enjoy the weekend!

~Til next time
              

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bek