I'm on a Linky Kick!

If you've never visited Making it as a Middle School Teacher's blog, you have to go!  Honey Bunch designed her beautiful blog (mine too).  I L-O-V-E the colors and patterns.  This linky isn't about resolutions, but more about what is to come and your interests.  It reminds me a lot of Farley's Currently and you know you love the Currently...so go link up!

Making as a Middle School Teacher's Linky for 2013

This Little Piggy will shop at a non-plus-size store!  Even if I have to have surgery to do it!! 

Quick Scarf Tutorial Under $10

Since I'm on break, I spend a lot of time looking at blogs and pintrest.  Well, I had a lunch planned for today with 2 teacher friends and thought I'd take them gifts.  They are both pretty crafty so I thought they would like something I made rather than something I bought.

I found this cute scarf on pintrest 

and thought, "hey I can do that!"  

Am I the only one who does that when I find something on pintrest?

So, I followed the tutorial at http://www.simplysalvage.com/t-shirt-ruffle-scarf-tutorial/.  

My first attempt was a bust!  I used a paper plate and it's just simply too small, so I used a regular plate the 2nd time and it worked like a charm!  I bought a 2XL T-shirt from Wally's for under $6.  

Step 1: Draw 4-5 Circles on it (use a regular plate, yes you can use a sharpie or chalk).

Step 2: Cut into spirals (cut smaller than this, about 1.5") 

 

Step 3: Gather Strips with a felt flower.  

  Now, if you've never made these....they are easy peesy lemon squeezey!   

Plus, they are super-dee-dooper cheap so if your my daughter loses them at pre-school you aren't worried about her losing an expensive bow (or even a $1 bow).  

I used a glade candle to trace, you can use a baby food jar lid or something similar in size.  I use a sheet of felt (.29cents at Wally's).  I trace 6ish circles.   

 You'll also need a pony tail holder too.   

 Fold the circles in half.

Then into 1/4's.  Put a little hot glue (in the center) to hold the fold. Then, hot glue down onto the base circle (which I cut a bit smaller so you don't see it).   

Take a look at the pretty bracelet my wonderful hubby bought me for Christmas.

You just glue 4 of these onto the base.  Then, 2 more onto the top to make it look fuller.  Then hot glue a pony tail holder onto the back.  I glue a small oval of felt over the pony tail holder to secure it.  I made 2 black scarves and a red & purple flower.    

This Little Piggy's Friend Loved Her Scarf! 

Do you make resolutions?

  

Teaching Maddeness  and Teaching with Moxie are celebrating 2013 with Linky Parties.  I'm joining up. I often set goals for myself, but I don't normally make New Year's Resolutions.  So, I'll call these my goals for the Spring Semester.      

 For My Classroom, I want to be much more data driven.  I simply feel like I run out of time to track all 64 student's progress.  I'll get things graded, but I don't break down each test by TEKS.  I've got to get this done and tracked.

For My Personal Life, I want to lose 50 lbs. by July 1st.  Last year, I planned to do this and I lost 35lbs. by July 1st.  But, I've gained 30lbs. back.  I've got to conquer this weight thing.  I really need to lose 100 lbs., but I have to be serious and take small steps.  I also want to make sure my husband feels that I make our marriage a priority.  We're in our 7th year and I think that is when a lot of people's marriages fail.  It seems like work and kids always come first and I want him to feel loved all the time.

For My Lil' Blog, I'd like to make deeper connections with other bloggers.  I don't really have a "blog friend/s".  By that, I mean someone I e-mail back and forth on a regular basis.  I have a lot of blogs that I follow and a few that I stalk and I feel like I "know" them, but I doubt they know my name.  Sounds weird, I know.  

This Little Piggy is Setting Goals!!

Itchy Red Rash and Freebie

A couple of days ago I began using a new face wash by a well known and respected company. 

Today my face is red, itchy and swollen.  

I took kids benedryl and now my tounge and mouth is numb - weird huh?  Let's hope the benedryl doesn't knock me out...

I made a quick little "Happy Valentine's Day" pennant/bunting for your home or classroom.  I actually made 2, one is a pennant shape and one is heart shape that says "Happy Heart Day". You can grab it from my TPT store if you'd like or a google doc.   

  

I'm going to link up with TBA's Freebie Friday. 

This Little Piggy is Itchy!

Parent Gifts inspired by fellow bloggers

Our Holiday Parties were on Friday.  My team likes to do one big party.  I prefer a classroom party, but I'm a team player so we had a grade level party.  3 adults to 65 kids hyped up on excitement & candy isn't pretty.  I had my students create a few holiday things to take home & enjoy.

#1 Stockings inspired by another blogger.  

I can't remember who, if it's you please let me know!!

 #2 Foam Tree Ornaments.  

 

#3 Holiday Cards.

 I was inspired by pin from http://beneaththerowantree.blogspot.com.

I bought ink pads from the Dollar Tree, used a black & silver sharpie, cut white cardstock in half and bought envelopes.  Students finished the cards, but we didn't get the envelopes addressed.  I told students to write a short note with Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas on the outside and give it to their families on X-Mas day.  I hope they enjoyed them.  

 

 

 This Little Piggy is enjoying an "almost" White Christmas.

Sorry for the 2nd Post, It's a Freebie

I'm home sick today and after watching hours of Sandy Hook Elementary Coverage, I had to turn it off.  Each little girl reminds me of my own.  I just cannot imagine the heartache these parents are experiencing.

I took meds, took a nap and then I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep.  Since I only have a few days left, I'm thinking about what I plan to do when I get back to school after the break.  I started thinking about Valentine's Day and all of the cute activities that go along with it.  I actually like Valentine's Day, probably because of the candy;)  When I taught Kinder, I gave each student a baggie full of hearts and showed them how to make different animals using the hearts.  Then, they made heart animals and we graphed the number of hearts on each animal.  Students then attached them to card stock and made a card for a classmate. This year in 3rd grade, I don't teach math and I doubt I will be able to use a lot of instruction time to make a craft, So, I made these cute pencil toppers/cards/lollipop cards that I am going to give my students as pencil toppers.  Click above and download them for FREE or visit my TPT Store and you can download for FREE!

 

Link up with Manic Monday

Heartache and Joy

Heartache
I am never good at talking about death and/or tragedy.  I'm not sure what to say or how to say it.  I think because I realize it doesn't matter what I or anyone says, it doesn't make the hurt go away.  Stepping outside my box, I will say that my heartaches for the parents of the children who were taken too early.  I am deeply sorry.
I am home sick today (sinus) and I have a sub.  I don't feel great about that.  I don't know what the kids will talk about or what will be said.  Last year, our school and it's community experienced a tornado.  It destroyed many houses and some of my fellow staff members, a teammate and a few students either lost their homes or were displaced for a long period of time.  We talked about it openly and we still talk about it when we read something about tornadoes or other natural disasters.   I do know that we will talk about school safety tomorrow. And we will discuss that we experienced a tornado but the school staff kept everyone safe.
Joy
Friday morning my throat hurt.  But, I had a busy day ahead of me, so I took an allergy pill and went about my day.  My daughter had her holiday recital at pre-school.  It was sooo cute!  They were supposed to dress up like Mrs. Claus.  After getting ready, she told me she was a Snow Princess, not a Grandma.

This time of year is very emotional for me every year, not just this year.  My daughter was born on December 20.  Her birthday makes me incredibly emotional.  I spend half the day crying and the other half holding her and kissing her.  My friends think I'm strange for it.  I don't care.  It has been absolutely amazing to watch my daughter grow up.  I got married in my late, late 20's and had a baby in my 30's.  My entire life, I wanted nothing more than to be a mom.  She made my wish come true.  She is my heart.

Saturday morning my ears were clogged, but my almost 4 year old had a ballet recital and a birthday party  on her agenda.  So, mommy took an allergy pill and took pictures.  My sweet girl did well at her ballet recital and we went to a petting zoo for her birthday party.  It was amazing to watch my daughter who has no fear feed all of the animals by hand.  My baby said she had, "the bestest birthday party EVER, Mama!"

Sunday morning, I woke up with a scratchy throat, clogged ears and a massive sinus headache.  So, today I'm home taking care of Mommy.    

This Little Piggy has a broken heart for 26 Families in CT.

12 in 12 Linky

I'm not #150!  Woo Hoo!  Let's Linky with Hadar & Kristin (don't you love how I call them by their name, like I know them or they know me! ha).

12. Favorite movie you watched: We Bought a Zoo

11. Favorite TV series: Walking Dead or Nashville

10. Favorite restaurant: Del Frisco's Steakhouse

9. Favorite new thing you tried: Blogging!

8. Favorite gift you got: My hubby sent me flowers at work.

7. Favorite thing you pinned: I'm not sure if it's my absolute favorite thing, but I am actually going to make it!!!

 

6. Favorite blog post: Of my own?  It was one that I can't access anymore since I changed the name of my blog.  I loved my pics of my classroom!

 

5. Best accomplishment: Getting 5's this year on my Evaluations (5 is the top of the line)

4. Favorite picture: We spent 7 days in Florida & our kiddos were ready to go home on day 5!!

3. Favorite memory: Our Vacation to Florida.  I loved watching the Dolphins in the morning!

2. Goal for 2013: My goal is to lose 100 lbs.  I made this goal last year and I lost 35, then we went on vacation and I threw healthy eating out the window!  I've got to do it this year! 

1. One Little Word: MARRIAGE.  I let everything else come first, this year it will be priority number one.

Pics from Around My School

I normally post about what my class or grade level is doing.  Today I thought I'd share what's going on inside a few other classrooms.  I asked permission to put their pics on my blog, all said they were flattered.

This bulletin board is outside the PK4 hallway.  The house is 3-D  How cute is the little Gingerbread Girl?  My house is decorated with Gingerbread Boys & Girls so I adore this bulletin board!  It brings a smile to my face when I walk passed it.  In fact, my class takes the long walk back from the bathrooms just so I can ooh and ahh over it.  

 

I love this Anchor Chart I found in a 1st grade classroom.  This teacher has become a quick friend.  We spent 3 hours chit-chatting at dinner on Friday night!  She loves blogs, pintrest, fonts, anchor charts and our kiddos adore eachother...what more can I ask for in a new friend?  She found this anchor chart on pintrest, from The First Grade Parade.  

Next up is a bit nostalgic for me because I grew up loving Smurfs!  Of course, Smurfette was my favorite.  This is our Kindergarten hallway.  They worked on a PBL where Smurf Village burned down and they had to re-build it.  Students elected a government, wrote a constitution and made a map key for their village.  I love it!  How cute is it?

  

This Little Piggy wants a tablet!!!