New Year's Resolutions Link-up

I know I am breaking some kind of blogging rule by posting twice in one day.....well truth be told twice in two hours...but here goes anyway!

Mrs. Zrihin over at A Teacher' Treasure is hosting a New Year's Resolution linky party.  I don't usually write down my resolutions but maybe if I put them out there for the blogging world to see, I will be better at keeping them.  So here goes:

Personal:

1.  To lose weight.  I am not going to say how much, but I need to get down to a healthier weight so I will feel better. 

2.  To deal with stress better.  I have gotten so much better about the way I deal with stress (just ask my friends) but I still need to work on it!

3.  To go to yoga class and exercise.  This goes right along with the first two.

4. To get better at blogging.  I just started 6 months ago and need to improve my posts.

Professional:

1. To open my own Teachers Pay Teachers store. (Yikes.....I am totally scared...I wrote this for everyone to see!)

2.  To be better at planning.  I hate planning week to week.  I would love to have several months worth of lesson plans ready and waiting on me!

What are your resolutions?!?

11 in '11 Linky Party fun!

 
Hadar over at Miss Kindergarten and Kristin over at Teeny Tiny Teacher are hosting a fun Linky Party!  I am linking up and so should you!

11. Favorite movie you watched: 
My favorite movie from 2011 was The Help.  I have seen it twice now and will probably watch is several more times.  I read the book first and then watched the movie...which doesn't usually work out for me since I usually hate any movie that doesn't follow the book exactly!

10. Favorite TV series:
I don't watch a lot of TV, but I love the Food Network.  If I wasn't a teacher, I would love to be a chef or caterer.  I love all things Food Network and my favorite is Iron Chef America.

9. Favorite restaurant:
My absolute favorite restaurant is Fancy Q on Saint Simon's Island.  About a 45 minute drive for me (I live in such a small town...most nice places are a drive), but so worth it!  They have the best sushi!!

8. Favorite new thing you tried:

Blogging......my new addiction!!  I have met some great people and have learned lots of new things.

7. Favorite gift you got:
 My favorite gift were the yard tools and gift cards (to buy paint for my new house) from my children!

6. Favorite thing you pinned:
I am also addicted to Pinterest!!  I have pinned so many things, but my favorite pin was the curtain rod jewelry organizer because it was my first DIY pinterest project.

5. Favorite blog post:
 I guess it would have to be my Winter Fun Activities post.

4. Best accomplishment:
Buying a house all by myself!!  I am pretty proud that I could navigate finding a reasonably priced house, make sure it is sound and worth the money, and get the financing without help from a man anyone. :0)

3. Favorite picture:

My favorite picture is of my beautiful granddaughter Avarie!

2. Favorite memory:
My favorite memory was the cruise I took with my mom, daughter, and son-in-law this past summer.  We went to St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and Nassau.  The spa on the ship was "to die for"!

Me dressed for dinner.

My favorite place ever....the spa!

1. Goal for 2012:
To get fit.  To make myself exercise (cause I hate it)!  To eat better!  To be healthier!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing all of my blogging friend a very Merry Christmas!  Hope your holidays have been filled with love, laughter, and family! 

Oh.My.Gosh!! I now have a button!!

Marlana over at Lil' Country Kindergarten sent me the sweetest email telling me she had made me a button for my blog.  I have been so envying all those cute buttons out there but didn't have the faintest idea how to make one.  She not only made me one........but two adorable buttons to choose from.  Look over there on the left.  Do you see it????  I just love it so much and can't thank Marlana enough for making it for me!  Thanks again!! (((hugs)))



Look......here it is again!  Did I say I just love it?!?!?!?

 Now people start grabbing that button!!  :0) :0) :0)

Christmas Survey

Kristin over at A Teeny Tiny Teacher posted this survey on her blog and since she is my blogging idol, I though I would follow suit!


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? 
I almost always wrap....although I hate detest despise do not enjoy wrapping! I feel like the Grinch for saying this!

2. Real tree or artificial?
Artificial nowadays! We always had a real one when I was growing up and when my kids were little, but artificial is just easier.

3. When do you put up the tree?

Usually the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but not this year. Since I moved a year and a half ago my "stuff" has been stuffed in several family members extra space. So it took me a while to collect it from its various locations.

4. When do you take the tree down?
No set date, but I like to get it down before Valentine's Day! Just kidding!!!:0)
 
5. Do you like eggnog? 
 I used to like it a lot, but I just can't stomach it now!
 
6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Sad to say I don't remember a favorite gift. I do remember a gift I really, really wanted but didn't get! I don't remember how old I was, but probably 11 or 12. I wanted this huge, white, tabletop jewelry box with a full mirrored top AND  not one but two ballerinas that twirled about on the mirror like it was ice. Apparently I am still traumatized about not getting it! Although, I am told by my mother that she tried to find me one! Am I a terrible sick ungrateful obsessive bad person for remembering this?

 7. Do you have a nativity scene?
I have a little plastic Nativity that I bought when my son was small. It is missing a couple of pieces because he always used to play with it, but I love that little Nativity!

8. Hardest person to buy for?
 My son-in-law! He buys everything he wants!

9. Easiest person to buy for?
My granddaughter. She is also my favorite person to buy for :0)
 
10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail (But I didn't send any this year...yikes... maybe I am the Grinch!)

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
I can't think of any gift that stands out as being the worst. 

12. Favorite Christmas movie?
My absolute all-time favorite is The Polar Express!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
I usually start on Black Friday. However, I am usually still scrambling for last minute gifts the day before Christmas Eve.

14. Ever recycled a present?
If I say yes, will you think I'm a bad person???

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Crown roast of pork with wild rice stuffing......yum!!!

16. Clear lights or colored lights on a tree?

Definitely clear only! Although, I do like to look at colored lights in other people's yard.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Too hard to choose just one....Christmas in Dixie, When Christmas Comes to Town, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Still Still Still

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? It varies. For years, everyone used to come to my house for Christmas Day. When the big "D" happened a year and a half ago I started going to my son's or mom's for Christmas Day.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Of course!

20. Angel or star on top of the tree?Neither! I have a gingerbread man at the top of my tree.

21. Open the presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? 
Both. Just depends on when everyone can get together. 

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Rude people!!

23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color?
This year, I have a gingerbread theme tree.  I love theme trees and have many themes I have used over the years.  Remember what I said earlier about having my "stuff" everywhere.  This includes boxes and boxes and boxes and boxes of Christmas "stuff". 

24. What do you want for Christmas?
To have 100 followers.  Just kidding!! (not really)  Probably what most people want....for my family to be healthy and happy!

Another giveaway!

Caitlin over at Kindergarten Smiles is giving away ALL of her units in her TpT store in an effort to get 300 followers.  Wow!!!!   I am so jealous that she has 239.  Hummm....maybe I need to do some kind of giveaway!

Anyway, I am entering to win her amazing stuff and you should too!  Click here to fly on over to her blog to enter.  Hurry.....she will be picking the winner on the 29th.

This is what you can win!!

Great Giveaway over at Kindergarten is a Hoot!....go check it out!

Sara over at Kindergarten is a Hoot! is having a fabulous giveaway over on her cute blog!  She just finished up her first ever packet to sell on TpT.  YAY for her!!!  It is a very cute Winter Math packet that includes measuring, money, number identification, time, and much more!    To celebrate she is giving away TWO fantastic packets to a couple of lucky winners (I hope I am one!!!!).  

Hurry on over to her blog to check it out....she it only taking entries through the 29th!

Another award!

Miss Squirrels (aka Staci) over at Going Nutty! nominated my little blog for the Leibster Blog Award.  Thank you so much Miss Squirrels!

The goal of the award is to spotlight up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers. The rules are:

1. copy and paste the award on your blog
2. thank the giver and link back to them
3. reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog
4. hope that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers 

 Here are my top 5 picks!

Glue Stick, Games, and Giggles

Mrs. Ricca's Kindergarten

I AM GOING TO BE A HOMEOWNER!!!!!

I AM GOING TO BE A HOMEOWNER!!!!!  (yes, I am shouting :0).....sorry)!  Okay so this post has nothing to do with school, but I am sooooooooooooo excited I just had to post it everywhere!  I just found out that my loan was approved and a closing date is being set!  I am sooooooooo excited!!! In case you didn't see it earlier!  I can't wait to move out of my apartment into MY OWN HOUSE (sorry...I'm shouting again)!!  

 Okay.....so that is not the cutest picture ever, but I am soooooooooo excited! In case you didn't know  :0) :0) :0)

Top Ten Reasons I Know Christmas is Near..........another linky!!

Although Friday was our last day of school before break, I still wanted to join in on all the Top Ten Fun.  So here goes!

Currently.........December Linky!

Since I have been blog stalking all morning, I saw that Farley over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade is hosting her Currently....... linky party.

I loved reading what everyone is doing so I decided to join in!
Just let me state for the record that I am also Grinch Green with envy (Thanks to Kristin over at Teeny Tiny Teacher for this) that there are bloggers meeting up over the break to share ideas!  Grrrrr....why can't that be me!  Anyone in South Georgia interested?!?!?!?!?!?
Anyway, here is what I am doing currently!

Gingerbread give away at Mrs. Bremer's Kindergarten

Anita at Mrs. Bremer's Kindergarten is have a fantastically sweet giveaway for some adorable gingerbread men and cookie sheets.  Dash on over to her blog to take a peek and become a follower for a chance to win!

More Christmas Crafts.....yippee!!

Hand print tile.  These turned out really cute!

Craft stick Christmas tree.

Reindeer picture frame

New...well re-done...sight word tracing/color word writing worksheets.

I remade some of my previous worksheets to fit the snow/winter theme.  My kiddos always need practice on sight words and color words.  I was asked to make some worksheets that didn't use D'Nealian handwriting,  so I made them using two different tracing fonts.  I am going to make two more but need to find some penguin clipart and it is too late tonight.  These cute clips are from KPM Doodles.

Get them here.

Get them here.

These elves turned out so stinking C.U.T.E.!!!! :)

This craft is straight off Pinterest and I absolutely love it!  This will definitely be going into the things-to-do-next-year file!

Don't you just love the individual personalities of each elf!

My First Blog Award!

Wow! I just received my first blog award. Yay!!!  Sara over at KIndergarten Is A Hoot nominated me for a new bloggers award.  I am so excited since I haven't been blogging very long!   Thanks so much!

This award is for newbies, and it's goal is to spotlight up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers.  If awarded, you must:

♥ copy and paste the award on your blog

♥ thank the giver and link back to them

♥ reveal YOUR top five picks and leave a comment letting them know

♥ hope your followers will share the love with them :)

Here are my five newbie picks. Enjoy!!

Mrs. Ring's K-Crew Kids Rock

For the Love of Kindergarten

 Kinderdi
Joy of Kindergarten
Ms. Solano's Kindergarten 

The Polar Express

 "On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed.  I did not rustle the sheets.  I breathed slowly and silently.  I was listening for a sound -- a sound a friend had told me I'd never hear -- the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh."

This week will be all about The Polar Express (one of my favorite books).  We will read the book online at storylineonline where the story is read by Lou Diamond Phillips.  We will also read the book the traditional way.
On Wednesday, we will have a Polar Express pajama day.  Everyone, including teachers, will wear their pajamas.  This is always a big hit with the kinderkids.  We will watch the movie, have hot chocolate and cookies, and hope that a special surprise arrives.

We always make the hot chocolate and keep it warm in a crock pot.  This is what I did last year.

1 gallon white milk
1 container chocolate syrup
Mix together in the crockpot early in the morning.

I read on Pro-Teacher that some people just purchase a gallon on chocolate milk and warm it in the crockpot.  Simple and only one thing to buy.

I am going to use the words from the movie about the hot chocolate as a poem this week.  I will copy onto chart paper and read it all week along with the Cocoa poem.

Hot Chocolate

 Here, we’ve only got one rule:

Never ever let it cool!

Keep it cooking in the pot,

Then you've got- Hot choc-o-lat!

Hot! Hot! Ooh, we got it!

Hot! Hot! Hey, we got it!

Hot! Hot! Say, we got it!

Hot chocolate!

Cocoa 

Cocoa is a delicious treat.

It is yummy, dark and sweet.

With a marshmallow on the top,

I will drink every drop.

There are is an emergent reader on marcias-lesson-links.com  that I will be using this week.

We will also be sequencing The Polar Express using this picture.

We will do some drawing about the gifts in Santa's bag with this from http://www.polarexpress.com/games-fun.

The last of the Gingerbread fun for this year!

Wow!  My kinder kids had a blast with all the gingerbread activities. Here are a few more of our Gingerbread activities.

 

Gingerbread man bubble map

Gingerbread man find the number.  Get it here.

Great free printable emergent reader from Deanna Jump.  Get it here.

Gingerbread Girl flow map all filled in. Get it here.

We graphed which part of the cookie we ate first.

Gingerbread man teen number sequencing.  This is similar to the one on mrsleeskinderkids.blogspot page.  Click here. I have no idea why this is upside down!

As we wound it all up this week, I am a little sad to put it all away again until next year.  But......I am excited about the new gingerbread stories I have found to add to my collection for next year.  Check them out!