Feelin' Grateful

O.M.G.  I don't know how things are going in your school but let me just tell you.......our kids are off their rockers!!!!

I know a lot of it has to do with the fast-approaching holiday, but that is coupled with a very difficult time we are going through in our school.  Let me just say, I have had a VERY hard time feeling grateful this week.

Well yesterday, it began to snow in the afternoon.  As if the kids needed another reason to be crazy!  We had 6 teachers out with no subs - coverages again!  So by the time I left work, I was completely D.R.A.I.N.E.D.!!!!  I almost called my son at home to ask him to meet me in the driveway with a drink!  He's 19 so it wouldn't have been totally inappropriate :)

I decided to order dinner and head home - a drive which should take about 20 minutes in total.  Well apparently, people in my area forgot how to drive in the snow.  It took me 1 1/2 hours to pick up dinner and get home.  YES, 1:30 minutes!!!

By the time I got to the restaurant to pick up my food, I was nearly ready to commit a crime.  THEN, I walked in to pay and the lady told me someone left me an "Act of Kindness" card and paid for my dinner.  W.H.A.T. ?!?!?  I was frozen.  I literally couldn't formulate a sentence.  It was as if the universe knew what I needed at that exact moment - I needed to know there are GOOD people out there in the world.  It was really hard to hold back the tears after that one.

The card that was left for me stated that Acts of Kindness were being done in memory of a beautiful little girl who passed away on Christmas Eve in 2014.  She was just shy of her 4th birthday.  To say I am inspired in an understatement.  I immediately joined the Facebook page listed on the card to share my appreciation.  I have SOOOOO many ideas on how to pay this forward, and honestly I can't wait to do so!

So even though I don't have my normal list of items this week, I hope you are inspired to share an Act of Kindness with someone.  We really do need more kindness in the world!!!!

Thank you for stopping so I could share my story!  I know I don't have a lot of followers, and I know I'm not the most popular blogger, but I am truly GRATEFUL for all of you ❤ ❤ ❤

Please feel free to comment to share your story of "Feelin' Grateful!" 

Christmas and New Year's

I have been a VERY busy elf!  I guess part of the holiday buzz is doing SO much around the holiday's but I find it exhausting!!!  Seems every night I have something, and my weekends are F.U.L.L.

I must say though, I do enjoy working on holiday activities with my kiddies.  While I know there is a place for hard work, the week before Christmas is not one of them!  I allow my students to let loose the week before the holiday break.  And, let's be honest, I don't have a full classroom so I'm like the evil grandparent who gives the kids sugar then sends them home to mom and dad. . . . .< insert evil grin here >

But anywho, I have been working like a dog to get my store chock-full of goodies for all of YOU!  Check them out below and don't forget to ❋❋FOLLOW❋❋ my store so you don't miss out on any great FREEBIES!!!

  Make sure to grab this New Year's Writing FREEBIE!!!  This will help your students reflect on what they want to achieve in 2018.  There is a version included for Grades K-4 as well.

New Year's Color-by-Number focuses on Teen Numbers for Kinder's.  Lots of cute designs to choose from!

  New Year's Flip-Book FREEBIE!  Definitely head on over and grab it! 

Want to give your students a gift without breaking the bank?  Candy bags are the way to go!  These bag toppers make them extra festive!

My students L.O.V.E. working on Plotting Points!  There are lots of different pictures to choose from!

I'm not done yet making products yet, so make sure you FOLLOW my TPT Store HERE so you don't miss out on more FREEBIES and resources!

Feelin' Grateful

W.O.W. What a week! I'm so glad I started to blog about feeling grateful because I just had the BEST WEEK EVER! I have so much to be grateful for this week. 

#1:  I found out Monday night that my poor puppy had to have surgery.  Her bladder was completely   FILLED with kidney stones :(  She had surgery on Thursday and is doing really well!!!!

          

#2:   My birthday was Tuesday.  All of my students wrote me cards and sang Happy Birthday to me.  My own children made the day really special for me.

#3:    My brother purchased his first home on Thursday.  I'm SO happy for him.   He had a heart transplant a year ago so this is a HUGE milestone for him.

#4:    I just came home from celebrating my birthday with my kids and my aunt.  We went out to dinner and went to see a Christmas light display.  My children are 22 and 19 so I don't get to see them as much as when they were little.  They have their own lives now so times like this are SO precious to me.

#5:   I am thankful for all of YOU!!!!  I am so appreciative of the people that support my lil ole store.  I created a FREEBIE just for you!  I hope you enjoy it!!!

                                                     New Year's FLIP BOOK

              It's a cute FLIP-BOOK that you can use to help your students reflect on 2017 as it comes to a close and to also look forward to 2018.  There are four pages - 2 that focus on 2017 ending and 2 that focus on goals to create for 2018.  Click HERE or on the picture to download your freebie!!!


If you would like to link up to this post, please click below.
 

Feelin' Grateful

Whew, what a crazy time of year!  I don't know about you but I feel as if a LOUD alarm bell sounds the day after Thanksgiving signaling the MAD RUSH of the holidays approaching.  This year, I've had almost a sick feeling in my stomach about it.  Gather the lists, hit the stores, find the sales, check the bank accounts, make the money. . . . . it's endless.  Then before you realize it, it's all over.

NOT. THIS. YEAR!

I just refuse to do it.  Not happening!

So this year, I decided I'm going to enjoy every last second and not focus on the "commercialized" part of the holiday.  Sure, everyone will get gifts but that really isn't what this time should be about.  I've decided that this year, I'm just going to be THANKFUL!

After all, I have SO much to be grateful for.  Sometimes with the hustle and bustle of work, family, life, it's so hard to lose focus on the things we already have.  So here it is . . .

Here are the TOP 5 things I am grateful for today:

       #1:  I have truly been BLESSED with the best kids ever!  They 
            are growing into such beautiful people and I couldn't be 
            more PROUD!

      #2:   I am so grateful that I have a job working with some of   
             the most AMAZING people that I've
              come to call my friends.

      #3:  I have everything I NEED in life!
   
      #4:  I have found success on TPT, which has helped me
             provide for my children!

      #5:  I am HEALTHY!


Please join me by blogging about what you are most grateful for, then add your link below.  Thanks so much!

An InLinkz Link-up

The Reading Strategies Book

Hey Everyone!  I hope you are all having a wonderful summer!  I know I am finally getting to some relaxation.  It takes me at least 2 weeks to feel like I'm actually relaxed.  

Well I am super excited to be linking up with Teaching Little Miracles for a book study.  I just received this book at the end of the school year and I'm loving it so far.  The book is called "The Reading Strategies Book" by Jennifer Serravallo.  It is not your ordinary summer reading book but it is chock-full of AMAZING strategies and techniques to help struggling readers in every skill set.

The book starts with how Jennifer decided to arrange the book.  It's done by skill which I LOVE!!!!  It is so easy to determine the skill a student needs extra work on, flip to that section of the book and find a great strategy to work on with them!

I don't want to give it all away just yet.  The book study will be posted about each week throughout the summer.  Posts will follow this schedule:

                    
 

Stay tuned as we go through each goal in the book, the strategies involved and the AWESOMENESS of this book! Thanks for checking in!