Yikes!  I can't believe it has been so long since I blogged!  Summer has really caught up with me, but I'm beginning to feel the back to school vibe coming on.  I've been doing some school shopping (fun!) and have a few projects I'm going to get started on.  I'll keep you updated on those.
 
In the meantime, I want to share some fantastic resources all the wonderful teachers at Teachers Pay Teachers have created just for you.  Here's just one of them -
Ta-dahhhhhh . . . .

They are FREE ebooks, filled with tips for implementing Common Core and links to great products to use in your classroom.  Annnnnd . . . . each page has a link to a freebie, too!
 
I shared the K-2 Ebook because that's the one I contributed to, but there are ones for grades 3-5 and 6-12, too.  Just click on the image above to go to Teachers Pay Teachers and download your copy.  There are links at the bottom of the page if you're interested in the other books, as well.
 
Now, let's have a little fun.... find my page in the ebook and click on the link to the freebie.  The first person who leaves a comment telling me how many cards are in the FULL set (not the freebie sample) will win the set.  (Don't forget to leave me your email address!)
 
Good luck!  And thanks for stopping by!
Can you believe this is the fourth time I have blogged this week?  And I thought my blog would be really slow over the summer.  Turns out I have a lot to say and share... Not much of it is school related, but that's ok for now.  Just don't expect three-times-a-week blogging once school starts.... I have a feeling things are going to get busy around here pretty soon!

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know hat a bloggy friend of mine is having a giveaway to celebrate a whole bunch of ZERO followers... but in a good way! 
There's a TON of stuff to win... and it's easy to enter - no following a million blogs and stores and pages... so head on over and check out her blog and enter the giveaway.  She's a real sweetheart and has lots to share.  Love that name!
 
Enjoy your weekend!  And thanks for stopping by!
This has been quite a week for my little blog and TpT store.  I have had so many new followers in both places . . . I am so happy to be able to share my ideas and products with other teachers.  I just KNEW I would love blogging and being part of TpT!

I am also excited to share that my blog has been nominated for the Liebster Award - not once, not twice, but THREE times this week!  

It is so exciting to see that I'm getting noticed.  So, exactly what IS the Liebster Award, you ask?  Good question - I did some research and discovered that Liebster means "dearest" in German.  And the "award has been around for a few years.  I put the word "award" in quote because there is not actual award... no judging, no fan fare... just bloggers recognizing each other... which is nice.

Part of accepting this award is to share the love - here's what I have to do:
  1. Link back to the blog that nominated me
  2. Nominate 5-11 blogs with fewer than 200 followers
  3. Answer the questions posted for me by my nominator
  4. Share 11 random facts about myself
  5. Create 11 questions for my nominees
  6. Contact my nominees and let them know I nominated them! 
Ok, here goes!  Be patient.. if you get all the way to the end you just might find some other great blogs to follow!

I was first nominated by Pili over at Glitter and Gradebooks....then by Brittney from Teacher Inspired . . .and then by Christine at Preslar's Place.

Be sure to check out these blogs . . . cute ideas!
 
Now, the funny thing about this is that I had come up with my list of 5 other blogs to nominate earlier this week... and I discovered that 2 of them had already been nominated!  That little Liebster is certainly making the rounds this week.
 
I'm going to bend the rules just a touch and still share those 2 blogs I originally planned on nominating, along with 3 others.  Here they are:

   
 
EDIT:  Make that 4 out of 5 already nominated.  I need to be quicker on this sort of thing next time!
 

There are some great ideas on all these blogs... good summer reading!  Ok, now onto part 2 - I need to answer the 11 questions from the person who nominated me.  I'm going to answer Pili's questions, since she's the first one who nominated me.


1.  If you could have 3 wishes come true, what would they be? I never know if I should be serious here, or fun, or what... how about no more school violence, unlimited funding for education and endless peppermint patties :-)
2.  What is your favorite ice cream flavor? definitely moose tracks (vanilla with chunks of chocolate, peanut butter cups and swirls of chocolate - might be an east coast thing)
3.  What is your most irrational fear? ha - not irrational, but I am afraid of moths.. especially those big furry ones... ugh
4.  What is your favorite piece of clothing to wear? cute shoes!!!!!
5.  What is your favorite quote?  I really thought about this... I'm blank here... sorry!
6.  What is your favorite movie?  Unbelieveably, I am not a movie person (yes, I know.. how could that be?)  I do watch Dirty Dancing every time it is on.. and Mean Girls (probably shouldn't have shared that one!)
7.  If you had your own TV show about anything, what would be your intro song?  Put a Girl In It, by Toby Keith . . . that was totally random, but it DOES fit my outlook on the world :-)
8. What is your guilty pleasure? reading trashy magazines
9. What is your favorite flower? begonias... they are the only thing that will grow on my deck in the summer
10. If you could have an outdoor adventure (ex: hiking, backpacking, surfing, diving) and all expenses were paid, what would you do? HA!  I have gone whitewater rafting, parasailing, taken a helicopter ride, a biplane over the water, hot air ballooning, snorkeling... and was terrified and wanted them each over with (except the hot air balloon ride, that was cool)... my perfect outdoor adventure would be a week at a pool or lake!!
11. What was your favorite book as a child?  I read EVERYTHING!  I did love Judy Blume...
 
Almost done folks!  If you still stuck with me then you get to find out 11 random facts about me:
1.  I have gone on a hot air balloon ride and loved it.
2.  I have dozens of pairs of shoes.. flip flops.. boots... it's embarrassing actually...
3.  I have a tiny kitchen and BIG cooking ideas
4.  I have 2 nephews and a niece who are/will all going to the same high school I went to
5.  I used to have a small sports photography business
6.  I was an exchange student and went to Paris for 6 weeks in my junior year of high school
7.  I HATE to fly.. and I get carsick... very easily
8.  I am "spatially challenged" . . . I cannot follow directions, find my way back from somewhere or put something together to save my life!
9.  I do my best work at night.
10.  I am addicted to peppermint patties
11.  I am a perfectionist.. and slightly OCD... maybe more than slightly
 
Whew!  That was a lot!  I'll end with my 11 questions for my nominees:
1.  How many states or countries have you visited?
2.  If you could have anything for dinner, what would it be?
3.  What is your favorite thing to teach?
4.  How many books have you read so far this summer?
5.  Do you prefer a quiet, beachy vacation or an adventure-filled time?
6.  How many different grades (or positions) have you had in your teaching career?
7.  How did you get the name for your blog?
8.  What is one thing you still want to do in life?
9.  How long have you had your best friend?
10.  If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?
11.  What is one word your students would use to describe you?

Don't forget - last chance to enter the scavenger hunt and come away with some great resources!  The giveaway ends tomorrow!
Thanks for stopping by!
Wow!  That's about all I can say... so many of you have entered Erin's Summer Planning Giveaway at I'm Lovin Lit - and I have gotten so many new followers both here and at my TpT store!  So.. hello to all my new bloggy friends!  And, if you haven't yet entered her giveaway (and it IS a giveaway - everyone wins!) click HERE to go to my blogpost and find out more or on the graphic below to go right to the directions.
And... if you're up for yet another giveaway (and who wouldn't be!)... head on over to Leah's blog at Learning 4 Keeps.  She's celebrating her one year bloggiversary!
I donated Winner's Choice for this one - so you get to pick any one product from my store if you win!  Oh yeah!
 
And lastly, I'm joining Charity over at Classroom Freebies and a whole bunch of other bloggers for a little Manic Monday Classroom freebies linky. 
Classroom Freebies Manic Monday
My freebie this week is my Summertime Fix-It.
12 sentences with a variety of editing mistakes that need to be corrected.  I have used this as a center, or as a whole class activity.  (Click HERE to go to my post with more information.) Click on the image above to go to google docs to download your copy.  And if you're looking for more "Fix-It" freebies, visit my TpT store!
 
I'll try to be back every Monday for the rest of this summer with another freebie for you.
Thanks for stopping by! 

Have you started to think about the new school year, or are you still completely in summer mode?  I know that even though I'm busy doing my summertime things, I still think about school more than I care to admit!
 
So.. for all you early planners... Erin over at I'm Lovin Lit has a super Summer Planning Giveaway for you... and the best part is... everyone wins!
 
And boy, are there lots of things to win!  Take a look at this. . .
Click on the button above to go to I'm Lovin Lit's blog and get all the directions for how to complete the scavenger hunt - and to see all the great products you can collect along the way.
 
And just in case you've already been there and have stopped by my blog for my secret word... here it is:
 
Curious to see what I donated to the giveaway?  It's my very first back-to-school product! (Remember, I'm new here :-) 
I love doing games and interactive activities with my kiddos, so this works perfectly for those first few weeks of school when everyone is just getting to know each other.  Choose a page and copy one for everyone in your class.  Then set students off to talk with each other and find someone whose name they can write in each box.  (I encourage my students to try to find a different name for each box.)  After a certain amount of time, I call everyone back to the rug and we share what we've learned about each other.  You can do a "stand up if you..." kind of thing so everyone gets to tell about themselves.
 
I also have some fun math and grammar bundles using the same activity format.  You can check them out in my TpT store.  Just click on the images below to go to the store pages for more information.
 
Like what you see?  Be sure to follow my store for updates.  I have many more products in the works!  You can also follow my blog, new as it is, by clicking on the buttons to the right.  Bloglovin, Google, email... it's all good!  I love the fact that in this giveaway you don't have to follow blogs and stores that may not work for your grade level or teaching area.  But I'm sure you'll find at least a few blogs and stores that you like, so give them some love and follow them, as well.

So... here's the scoop - check out I'm Lovin Litfor the directions on how to start the scavenger hunt.  Visit the blogs, stores, facebook pages, etc of the fantastically generous people who donated to the giveaway.. follow one, two or all... gather all the secret words then submit the google doc form to receive your prize pack.  Have fun!  And thanks for stopping by!
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