Let's Talk About ME Monday

Hey everyone! I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin for Let's Talk About Me Monday! I'm not sure if I can come up with 10 things about myself...but I will try!!

10 Things About Me:

1) I got married at the young age of 20 years old to the hotttest sailor in  the entire US Navy! We met when I was just 19 years old!! We've now been married for 8 1/2 years!  He really is an amazing man. He loves me for me and handles my  *sorta* dramatic self! Poor thing even watches my ever so addicting Young and The Restless...guess that could have been a different number! LOL!

Yessss that is a Texas Flag Vest :) That's a whole other Oprah Show..but it turned out nice :) He stuck true to his Texas roots :) 

2) I am *kinda* a gym rat!  Last October, I started on my fitness journey! I was overweight and so unhappy about myself! I *had* to do something!!! So, now you can find me in the gym 6 days a week. I love doing a cross fit type work out. but do not limit myself to just that. The other day, I was outside pushing sleds. There was a tire in the way, and without paying attention, I just went over and picked it up. Well, it happened to be the heaviest tire out there, that I've never flipped before. I got under it and realized uhhhh ohhh  you goof ball! You can't flip this tire! Just then, I notice three dudes starring at me like "This chick will never flip that tire"....somewhere I got the motivation and wouldn't ya know I flipped that huge thing! When I was done, the dude looked at me and said "I never thought you would even get that tire passed your knees, let alone flip it"! Ha! I guess I proved myself! 

You can read more about my journey on my Fitness Blog

3) I'm a country music nutso! I ****LOVE**** My music! More than that, I love LIVE Music! Concerts are my thing! I'm tellin' ya..everyone needs a little GEORGE Strait in their lives!! 

4) We move around a lot because of the Navy, and that sometimes is not that fun. I really, really miss my family! I grew up in central Florida, and most of my family is there. Some of them reside in the Mountains in NC, so when we all get together..it's tons of fun! We don't get to do that often, but when we do....watch out ;) 

LOVE These people :) They make me smile, laugh, cry and angry sometimes :) But we are FAMILY and NOTHING will ever change that! 

5) I want to go on a missions trip so BAD! My grandfather often goes on mission trips...and always has the most rewarding stories to tell. I SO want to go! That's my goal in the next year, to go on a trip. I want to tell people about Jesus, and what he's done in my  life. 

6) Brings me to my next thing..my faith.  One day..probably soon..I develop the courage to share with you all my testimony. It's pretty powerful. It goes back to a time when I was so lost. So hurt and so confused. You can read a little bit about that here! Our God is a merciful. Just in the last few months, I  have witness God working in ways that I never thought he would. I've witnessed an event that really hit me hard with God's Word . It woke me up....which brings me to #7...

7) This sweet girl...

This is a friend of mine, Ashley. She passed away in June, during our Sunday School class. I only knew her for a short time, but I'm telling you, the impact she had on our lives, will live with me FOREVER.  She was the example of living with grace. She used every opportunity she could to tell someone about Jesus. And this is my new mission, I want to #livelikeAshley and #lovejesus. If you are the praying type, say a prayer for her sweet family. 

8) Teaching is my passion. Since we've moved, I haven't found a full time position. I know God is in control..but I'm ready. Be thankful for your jobs, they are hard to come by. People ask me "What are you going to do if you don't get a position"...I just answer..what else? Volunteer, Sub, whatever I can do to get into the schools. It doesn't pay the bills by no means, but I don't know anything else. Teaching is all I've ever wanted to do.....

9) Since I was a little kid. I've been fortunate to experience amazing teachers in my life. They should me compassion, went above and beyond, and did it all for me. Not because their boss told them to, but because they CARED. 

10) I am a very blessed woman. To sum it up, I don't have a fancy car or an over the top house. But my house is filled with love, laughter, and caring people. We have fun...we are active...we enjoy each other. So many people in this country are suffering, so I am so very thankful for everything I have. I want to live a legacy, I want to help people. 

I hope I didn't bore you with all these details of my life..but that's me..in a nutshell :)

OH...and Congrats to...

AMY! Check your e-mail! You won the giveaway! 

Reading Resources and Literacy Center Resources

I wanted to put together a few of my favorite resources for teaching reading! Especially the little ones, isolation of sounds is such an important step in building a strong reading foundation. 

One resource I LOVE for my reluctant readers are these puzzles from Lakeshore Learning!! I have students say the letter sound while putting it together so they can actually see how the letter stands alone. My struggling readers LOVE this activity and it also helps them build up their confidence. You can check out these puzzles right HERE

Another great resource is my printable I-Can-Make-Words-

This is hands on activity includes 10 printables for making words. Students cut letters out and arrange them together to make words. Several different levels included to meet the needs of all your students.

I just posted my CVC-Interactive-Flip-Charts!! 

I use these in my small groups. I give the students a word, and ask them to make it. You can also start with the picture, have them sound out the  word and build it. Once students are familiar with CVC words, you could also use these at a center as writing prompts. I included blank picture cards for “nonsense” words. You do not have to attach all the picture cards at once. I sometimes just use certain vowel sounds.

The pictures do not have to be in any order, as the activity should require them to make each word. They should have to move most of the parts to make a new word. 

You still have time to enter my giveaway for a $50.00 TpT Gift Certificate!! You can enter right HERE!!!!

Back To School Giveaway

Who loves a giveaway?!?! I know I DO!!! To celebrate the Back To School season, I'm having a little giveaway! 

I'm giving away a $50.00 gift certificate to TpT!!!

All you have to do is enter below :)  Leave a comment that you did everything!

Happy Teaching! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway




                                                           

Back To The Basics

Well, it's that time of the year....

Back..To.. School!

You are either on cloud nine, or dreading it!! We are never in the middle! 

For me, I am super excited for school to start this year!!

My biggest project this summer was my classroom library! It was a WRECK! I've been organizing my books and bins! I wanted a new label system so I made some cute yellow and crazy ones!! 

I am using the gray chevron and yellow theme! Here are a few pictures:

Name Plates- You can use these as tented name plates or flat ones :)

48 Library Labels plus blank ones for you to customize

48 General Supply Labels

Plus: Subject labels

Days of the Week

Months of the Year

Objective Posters

Rules

Alphabet (Uppercase and Lowercase) 

Click  HERE To Check Out The FULL Packet!!

I also just posted my Back-To-The-Basics-Math-and-Literacy-Kit-!!!

This back to school themed math and literacy kit has 8 centers! 
The literacy activities are great for guided reading, differentiated instruction or at home practice! The activities are easy to prepare for and are great anchor stations. 
Literacy:
Sight Word Memory
Sight Word Flash Cards (two sets, one full color, one partial)
Missing Letter Deck Set 1
Missing Letter Deck Set 2

Math:
Number Line Fun
Addition Fun- Triangle card game
Subtraction Fun- Triangle card game
Addition and Subtraction Fun- a mixed center activity

Both of these items are on sale for a few days :)


Be sure to check out my Sight Word FREEBIE I posted a few weeks ago!

That's what I'm up to--organizing my library and hoping that I get to move into a classroom soon :)
I know God is in control, and I am turning it all over to him!!

Till Next Time 

Summer Time

What is the BEST thing about Summer Vacation!?!?!

*Family Time

*Sleeping In

*Vacation

*Beach Visits

*Ice Cream on a hottt day

well..maybe there are just too many for me to pick *the best* thing about summer! 

My little family just got back from our annual trip to Florida! We try and head down each year to visit family and soak up the sun! 

I love that the kiddos are getting old enough to make it through theme parks now without any major melt downs! We got to visit Legoland! Oh myyy! We had such a blast there! Several members of my family got to go and we had so much fun! We spent half the day in Legoland and the other half coolin' off in the water park! Talk about a blast! It was one of the highlights of our trip!

We spent the rest of the time just hanging out with family...oh yeah, and visiting a few other theme parks! But this post would be about ten pages long if I talked about that all day!!! 

We also had my (siiiigggh) high school reunion! It feels like YESTERDAY when we walked the field...in the rain! haha! Hard to believe it's been so long!

A few pics from our vacation! 

The hubby and I

I even got to have lunch with my sweet friend Jen from The Teacher's Cauldron! 

Now it's back to life! I must confess I did work a *tad*! My hubby was injured while on vacay and we had to have a little stay at the hospital. He was sleeping most of the time so I plugged away. I updated a few of my FIRST products and I am SO happy with the changes. My best seller is by far-- My R-Controlled-Vowels-Literacy-Packet-!! However, this was literally like the first product I ever made! So I went back and updated it quite a bit! If you've purchased this product..*please* go back and download again! You can do this by going to "My Purchases"!!! 

Here is a little preview...

R Controlled Vowels Literacy Packet!
Includes:
* eight word sorts
*seven ABC Order centers, two sets for each center 
(with recording sheets) 
*BINGO Center with 8 different boards! 
*R Controlled Vowel word list posters

So what is your favorite part of summer?!?! 

Favorite Pins Friday

Hey Hey Hey! I'm linking up today with the sweet Cara from The First Grade Parade For 

Favorite Pins Friday!

Favorite Teaching Pins!

I love this great idea for storage from Jazzie and Tahli! What an easy way to store your games and other 

card items! I love it!! It inspires me to do more with baby wipe containers :) I'm currently collecting them and grabbing washi tape to put something together! Can't wait for that!

I'm also lovin' some of the other's bloggers Christmas in July posts that have been going on!! This one from my sweet friend Katie from Queen of the First Grade Jungle is great! Check it out here

I love LOVE LOVE this idea from Jen at The Teacher's Cauldron! This is a great idea for Daily Math Journals! You could use these for years to come! 

Favorite Fitness Pins

Y'all know last fall I had a realization. That I needed to change my life! So I began this journey to become healthy, fit and let's be real...SKINNY :) I am so in love with this decision! Today, I am going two piece shopping for the first time in...ages! Some of the things that help me stay on track are: My Fitness Blog, my husband and family, wonderful friends that workout with me and eat right, and of course Pinterest! I love finding fitness/health pins! Here are some of my favorite! 

My Former AP used to tell me this ALL The time...about everything! So Yes, of Course, deep down, I want to be skinny, but this is about so much more than that! I want to be STRONG, FIT, HEALTHY, and most of all a GOOD EXAMPLE for my little ones! 

http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/strive-for-progress-not-perfection/

Amazing Leg Work Out
Great leg workouts and there are different levels depending on where you are at physically!!

I love this website! It gives loads of low calorie on the go foods! Check it out HERE

This is SO great :)

http://hardbody-kelsey.tumblr.com/image/49148359155

One of the 

reasons I started this journey is after reading  my good friend Erica's post from Erica Bohrer's Teaching Resources. She is super  sweet and such a positive influence!! I read this post when she first piut it out and that's when I started TPTing then I  came across it again one day on pinteres!t I decided then and there  I was getting back in shape! 

Well that's all for today! Sorry this is so short today but we are gearing up for our vaca and I still have TONS to do!!

Till Next Time!

BTS Freebie in JULY!

Hey Everyone!!  I have been working on my Back to School packet and decided I'd give my readers a little freebie!! I know, I know! It's only JULY! But I do have some followers who are ALREADY gearing up for the ever so crazy Back To School Season! I didn't want them to miss out on a little freebie :)

Just click HERE to check  out my little sight word game! My students always LOVE this game! I posted one last year in a fall and Halloween theme. To check that out,  click here for my FALL version!!!

We are still enjoying our summer here. We've hit up the Zoo, The Gardens, Parks, GYM ( haha) and here this last week, we've visited a few water parks! What a blast those are! Our kiddos have had such a blast this summer soakin' in the rays and getting all wet!!! 

We are all so excited for the rest of our summer and can't wait to see what the good Lord has in store for us :)

Keep praying for me about a full time position--I'm really hopeful that I will get one this year! Sometimes, waiting on God's timing and not our own, is a difficult thing to do!!!