Up too late!!!

It is entirely too late and I am constantly complaining about not getting enough sleep, but I have been trying to finish up my new short vowel product for TpT and I was determined to get it all done before resting my head.  I am sure all you TpT creators know just where I am coming from!!!  Am I correct?  We have been reviewing short vowels in my classroom and I just created this super fun product to use next week.  

Each vowel comes with a slider...

A place for writing down the slider words and a passage about what is on the slider for kiddos to highlight the short vowel words...

A short vowel word search...

and an answer key...

Plus, I created a short vowel flipbook!

and a short vowel word sort!!!!

Click HERE if you would like to visit this product at my TpT store.  Okay, I am going to sleep now.  Mission accomplished!  Sweet dreams!

One last thing!!!!  I have a Daily 5 freebie for you since you stopped by to give me some love.

Click the picture below for this Daily 5 Word Search!

Classroom Reveal

Teacher Organization Day is Monday and all the little darlings will start filling the hallways that evening for back to school night.  School starts Tuesday!  Excited!  Anxious!  Nervous!  Butterflies in the belly!  Why does this happen every year, even after teaching for quite some time now?!?!?  I don't think it will ever go away.  You want to be great!  You want the kids to love you, but you also want to set the stage in a way they will learn routine and develop respect for you.  Such a critical time.

My absolute favorite part of back to school is getting my room ready and organized.  I have worked hard on my classroom transformation.  Put TONS of time into getting everything just where I want it and loving my new look.  I want to share some of my new decor and classroom ideas.  I have tried to provide links to the different products around the room.  Here goes....

Alphabet is by Erica Bohrer and the comprehension strategies & skills posters are by A Cupcake for the Teacher.

Classroom library organization is inspired by Beth Newingham

2nd Grade Common Core Essential Questions, CAFE, & Daily 5 materials can be found at my TpT store by clicking here.

I get many products from Amy Lemons.  You will see many of her materials in my classroom.  She is my go to girl for 2nd Grade.  LOVE her!

Math Lab labels and recording sheets can be found at my store by clicking here.

Writing wall materials are A Cupcake for the Teacher and Lori Rosenberg.

Polka dot table numbers and the behavior chart can be found at my TpT store by clicking here.  The table numbers are also available in CHEVRON!

I know I will be praying for an amazing year for my students, their parents, all teachers out there and my sanity!  Ha ha!  Enjoy your back to school events and God bless!

Liebster Award Nomination

I just received an email that Martha from 2 Smart Wenches has nominated me for a Liebster Award!  The Liebster Award is a way bloggers spread the word about fellow bloggers whose blogs have fewer than 200 followers.  Once a blogger receives the award, he or she nominates other bloggers. 

To accept the nomination, I need to do the following:

1.  I'm linking back to Martha at 2 Smart Wenches

2.  I'm nominating 5 more blogs that have fewer than 200 followers.

3.  I'm answering 11 questions created by Martha.

4.  I'm listing 11 random facts about myself.

5.  I'm creating 11 questions for my nominees to answer.

I am nominating these fantastic blogs for Liebster Awards!!!

-Jen at "T" is for Teacher

-Kady at The Teacher Trap

-Dana at 3rd Grade Gridiron

-Angie at Snack Cups and Smiles

-Lindsey at Mommy Teaches

Martha's Questions

1.  What do you enjoy most about teaching?  The kiddos and being creative

2.  What is the last movie you saw in the movie theater?  It has been so long I don't even remember!!!

3.  Do you have any pets?  If so, what kind and what are their names?  I have a yellow lab named Emma

4.  What is your favorite book?  My favorite read aloud is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

5.  What is the best advice you ever got?  Any words from my father!  He is my hero!

6.  If you could keep just three possessions (besides your family and pets), what would they be?  My Macbook, Iphone, and ?????

7.  Do you have a piece of clothing or an accessory you can't live without?  Not really

8.  Do you have a hobby?  If so, what?  Crafting

9.  What is one teaching supply you could not live without?  My Sharpie chart markers

10.  Where is your favorite vacation?  Hawaii

11.  What is your favorite color?  pink

11 Random Things About Me

1.  I grew up on a farm in Indiana.

2.  I have lived in 4 states and 2 countries.

3.  I have visited 16 different countries.

4.  I taught for the Department of Defense in Korea and Germany.

5.  My husband is active duty Air Force.

6.  We have two beautiful little girls.

7.  I love to run and completed my first mini marathon this year.

8.  I love teaching second grade!

9.  I have two sisters and I am the middle child.

10.  I am a Starbucks addict!  I couldn't live without an occasional iced green tea or chai tea (the pumpkin loaf is heaven too!)

11.  I can touch my tongue to my nose!

Questions to My Nominees

1.  What do you enjoy most about teaching?

2.  What is the last movie you saw in the movie theater?

3.  Do you have any pets?  If so, what kind and what are their names?

4.  What is your favorite book?

5.  What is the best advice you ever got?

6.  If you could keep just three possessions (besides your family and pets), what would they be?

7.  Do you have a piece of clothing or an accessory you can't live without?

8.  Do you have a hobby?  If so, what?

9.  What is one teaching supply you could not live without?

10.  Where is your favorite vacation?

11.  What is your favorite color?

Happy Friday Freebie!

Just a quick post to share this FREEBIE!

Click here to grab a copy!  I have also added a Spanish poster.  Have an amazing weekend fellow bloggers and teachers.

Chalkboard Table & Class Sneak Peek

I have been working my tail off trying to get my classroom as ready as possible for next year!  We don't start back until August 12th, so you might be asking WHY?  Well, here it is....

MY HUSBAND WILL BE HERE TONIGHT!  YES!  TONIGHT!  

We have spent a little over a year apart due to deployments.  The girls and I are anxiously awaiting his return.  We get to have him all to ourselves until August 7th and then another year apart begins.

I switched from your basic primary colors to brights this year.  My theme is polka dots with a splash of chevron.  I am loving all my great shopping finds and LOVE how my room is turning out.  Probably my favorite piece to this year's decor is this table!

My sister had this ugly, old brown coffee table at our garage sale this summer.  I decided I would take it because the wheels in my head were turning and I had a plan.  I painted that ugly table a fun color and painted the top with chalkboard paint.  This is the result!  What a fun Word Work table!!!  The circle in the center is a place for using dry erase markers.  To top it off, those three adorable chevron containers fit perfectly underneath.  They are filled with other Word Work materials.  I love it, love it, love it!  Hope the kiddos do too!

Here is another look at this area of my classroom.

I still have some work to do, like leveling and placing new books in library baskets and adding my new basket labels, but it is coming along nicely!!!  

Now, check out my little cuties having some summer fun!

Pony rides!

Can't forget the tutu!

At the beach!

Bathing beauties!

Enjoy what is left of summer!!!!