Getting ready for Kindergarten! {freebie included!}

I am so sorry I have been away so long! 

My kids, classroom, husband, activities... have been really keeping me busy this year!  In my last post I mentioned I wanted to really spend more time with my family and I have to say I have truly been doing just that!  I love spending time with my two beautiful children and I think they are really loving the extra attention! Time flies and I am trying to soak it all up before they fly away (I have a high school freshman and it seems like these years are flying away!) 

Speaking of flying away.... 

Has this school year been flying by for you?  It has for me! I can not believe January is half over! It won't be long and my school will be discussing preregistration for Kindergarten for next year! 

With that in mind, I recently had a friend ask what her child needed to know to be ready for Kindergarten in the Fall, (recently I saw this list  and passed it on to my friend... It has some great suggestions).

I am no expert, but I personally think a child needs to know their first and last name and be able to say it if asked. Every year I have at least one child that may know their first name, but not their last name, (It would also be great if they could write their first name).

I also suggest they work on fine motor skills! My school has a list that I am sharing with you, {click here to grab this freebie}.

Some more suggestions to help with fine motor skills are:
* Grab a pipe cleaner and have your child make a bracelet by adding fruit loops (and they can learn about patterning while they add the colors)
* Use clothes pins and have your child open it and clip some papers together or put that clip on their favorite snack bag or finding letters in a magazine. (this is great to work their little finger and hand muscles!)
* Grab a spray bottle and have your child spray water on the plants outside! 
* Grab some play dough or clay and roll it out to make letters, numbers and shapes (they could even roll it out into a strip and cut it to work on their cutting skills)

I have a play dough station in my classroom and my students LOVE it!   If you would like some play dough mats for your classroom, my packet, I Can Read the Alphabet, has some play dough mats included in the packet.   But, right now, Educents has included my packet in a bundle! You can purchase it, and  many other awesome products, at a reduced price!  I just got mine and am so excited about using it!  

 

 

font:  Cara Carroll polka dot background: Ashley Hughes  frame: The Moffatt Girls

Be sure to grab this freebie! I will keep it free on my blog for a while, but will eventually put it in my TpT store!  If you love it, please leave me a note!

Currently January 2014 and Family time!

Happy New Year!!!

I am so excited about this year!
I am ready for a fresh start!
I began exercising again this morning and it felt great!  I used this DVD and boy did I sweat!

I am trying to eat healthier too!  But I did eat my black eyed peas, sausage, rice, cornbread and cabbage today! Not too bad though, right?

I am linking up with Farley for her Currently!

Listening: to college football.  This is our New Year's tradition.  All day long - bowl games!

Loving: family time with my husband and kids! I love this extra time with them! Playing games, watching movies, sleeping in... I love the holidays!
(And did you see the Aggie's play in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl last night? Wow!! What a way to end 2013! Amazing!!!)

Thinking: I have my Christmas boxes, they just need to be moved to the attic... but football is on! I guess tomorrow is another day! :)

Wanting: more time at home with my kids! I love this time with them! 

Needing: to really do a deep cleaning of my house! (I never really did enjoy dusting!)

Memory: This year was the second year my whole family went to Christmas Eve candlelight service together! I love it! It is so beautiful and really helps my family remember what the holiday is all about!

Only a few more days at home, then we go back. I love this family time! When do you go back?

Speaking of family...

I am also linking up with Blog Hoppin'

 I love my family! This is one of my favorite pictures:

I really want to spend more time with them this year! Playing games with my two kids, practicing ball with my boy, reading to him at night, family dinners at home, singing with them.... 

We took a trip together last summer, so I am not sure we will take a big trip again this year, but just a weekend together camping would be fine with me!  And I really need to plan that now, while it is still cool in Texas! I hate camping when it's hot! 


I hope you have a very Happy New Year!!!

Currently December and Cyber Monday!

I hope you can forgive me I have been away so long! My kids have been keeping me super busy, not to mention school! I am so sorry! I have been taking lots of pictures of my classroom and will post them soon!  I am working on getting my life more organized! It has been so CRAZY!! 

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!!! I can't believe it is December 1st! Today would have been my grandmother's birthday! This is a special month for me - both of my grandmothers and my mother share this month as their birth month.  They are all my angels in heaven now, but I still love celebrating their lives!

So, I am linking up with Farley's Currently! 

Listening: to the Texans play the Patriots! This is an awesome game! We love football in my house! Especially College football! Did you watch all the great match up games Thanksgiving Saturday? I caught some of the games {We spent most of the day driving home from seeing family!} and we listened on the radio to the others! All I can say is WOW!

Loving: that the Texas weather has been so much cooler! I love it! It actually feels like the holidays!

Thinking: that I need to make my Christmas cards! I need to get this done!!!

Wanting: to take some cute pictures of my kids for the cards! I do this every year and this year they do not want to do it! Oh boy! I may have to play the Santa card! 

Needing: to finish Christmas shopping! I have barely started, so I am a bit panicked this year! 

Favorite Tradition: Every year my siblings and I get together and make our mother's Italian Christmas cookies! {Cuccidati - you can click here or here or here to read more about the Sicilian-Italian cookie - these are not my mother's recipes, but they do sound good!}

   
 And, have you heard?  TpT is having a Cyber Monday sale!!! I have put my store on sale! Just click the picture to head to my store! 

Thank you Maria from Kinder Craze for sharing your cute button!

Happy Monday! and if you are shopping, Happy Shopping!
 

Currently November!

Ok.... Am I the only one that can not believe it is November???  Where has this year gone?  It must be flying because every Monday I wish for Friday so I can snuggle and have fun with my own babies!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my class, but I ADORE the weekends to play with my own children! And this weekend Texas is having the perfect Fall weather to play outside with my kids!

 

I am linking up with Farley for her November Currently!

Listening: to college football!  This is a Saturday staple in my house!

Loving: this cool weather! Can't believe it is finally Fall in Texas! I am hoping it lasts!

Thinking: I can't believe Christmas is only 7 weeks away and I haven't even begun to shop!

Wanting: to go to the movies! There are so many movies I want to see! I think my daughter and I may have a date for tonight! :)

Needing: to do some housework! Laundry, vacuuming,..... I guess it's not going to do itself!  {I guess I should do some before the movies!} 

Yummy Pin: Yum Yum Chicken! 

  This is my husband's grandmother's recipe and it is a great Fall casserole!  Super hearty!  I just love Plain Chicken!   If you have not visited her, please do! You will not be disappointed! I make recipes from her blog all the time and they are all delicious! Click {here} for another delicious pin - Chicken Ranch Pasta! Yum!

 I love to cook! And I love new recipes!  
{Check out my Recipe board on Pinterest!}
 
So, What are your plans for this weekend? I hope a little bit of fun is included in those plans! 
Happy weekend!

Kids Say the Funniest Things!

I am joining Crystal of Kreative in Kinder's link up party!  

I love Kindergarten! They always say the cutest things!  Here are a few from my Kinders and one from my own daughter when she was 2:

Now, it's your turn! Go link up with Kreative in Kinder and share your classroom funnies!


And if you love clip art.... Here is a clip art deal that you won't want to miss!

 
I also want to share an amazing giveaway {and love for Moore, Oklahoma!}

Mrs. Hoffer's Spot is giving away some beautiful Park Lane jewelry and some items from her store!

But also, there these beautiful necklaces for only $30 (a $68 value) and all the proceeds will benefit Moore, Oklahoma! Go enter and help her help Oklahoma!

 

Math with a little Mingle {with a Smart Board freebie!}

My class has been working hard on number sense and I have been looking into everything I can find to help them.

So, when I came across the Mingle & Count Game, I became so excited!



Have you heard of it? We have been playing for a few weeks and my class begs for it!

I altered the game just a bit from the video, (here is a picture of my Smart Board)

If you don't have time to watch the video, here is a little bit of how to play...

First, we come to the rug and discuss the rules
(our rules... 1. Be kind.   2. Once you are with a group, stay with your group.  3. Help your friends problem solve.). 

Next, we all give ourselves a hug and I say "Mingle" and they walk around the room saying "mingle, mingle, mingle..."  

Now I say a random number (for example - 2).  And they gather in to groups of 2.  If there is ever a student who can't find a partner, it is so cute to watch the students say "Jennifer, Krista needs a partner!"  They are so good about helping each other out and helping each other problem solve!

Now I walk around and ask the class "Is this a good group of 2?"   I continue to do this with all the groups. Of course when I ask if the remainder is a good group of 2, they tell me no and I write the number in the remainder column.

Now we count how many groups of 2 and write that on the board. Then we add up our groups and add in our remainder to get our total.

If you have an odd man out (our remainder), the next time they get to quack like a duck! (or hop like a frog, or whatever you decide!) Sometimes I think a few of my students want to be the remainder just so they can quack like a duck!  

They are moving, talking and having fun, all while they are learning! What could be better!

Do you have a Smart Board? Would you like a copy to play with your class? Just click {here}
and grab your copy! 
{Update October 23, 2013:  I am so sorry - I am not sure what happened - but I have fixed the link! So you can grab it now! Thank you for your patience!} 


If you play it with your class, I would love to hear about it! 

Leave me a note and let me know what you think!

Quick Flash Sale from TpT!

Thanks to Shuna of Pocket Full of Kinders for this cute artwork!

Did you hear? Teachers pay Teachers Facebook page received 100,000 likes! To celebrate, they are giving an extra 10% off until 12:01 am Oct. 14th! Here is their message:


"100,000 likes on Facebook? Yes, we're celebrating right now! Enter code FB100K at checkout for 10% off including sale items. What's on your wish list? Ends when the date flips to 10/14."

To help celebrate, I put my store on sale for 20% off!  Want to shop?  The Freebielicious gals are linking up their stores! Just click on the picture below to see who else has their awesome store on sale and grab some goodies for your classroom!

 

Five for Friday {Oops! Sunday} and Currently!

Today was the best weather day! 
It finally felt like Fall!
Yay for cool Texas weather!

This weekend flew by and I am a little behind, but I wanted to link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching and Oh' Boy Fourth Grade and Teaching Blog Addict's Freebie Friday!

First... I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching 

    

Ooh Baby Designs

I love my new teacher tote!

I especially love that it's reversible!

   

 

 Even though last week it didn't 
feel like Fall in Texas,

we made these cute Fall trees! 

{tearing the paper was great for fine motor skills!}

 

Kreative in Kinder's Here's What Matters! unit

 We have been learning about different textures this week!

Kreative in Kinder's unit has been sooo awesome!

(and so cute!)

My class loved every bit of her pack!

 

Primary Graffiti's All About Me Freebie

 My class has been getting to know each other 

and Primary Graffiti's All About Me Freebie 

has been a huge help!

I sent it home and received almost 
every one of them back!

My little class is very social this year, 

so they loved this activity!

 

Growing Kinder's Daily Calendar

My Kinders started their October Daily Calendar

pack from Growing Kinders 
and they are doing great!

Now on to Farley's Currently....

We are Listening to the Texans play the 49ers! 

I am Loving the cooler weather that the front brought in today! I actually wore a sweater to church this morning! Woo Hoo!

I am Thinking that my kids need pants for this week and I really should be doing some laundry!

I am Wanting a night out with my husband! 
We haven't gone a "date" in sooo long!

I am Needing to go grocery shopping! 
We are out of almost everything!

Trick or Treat! 
And if you read all the way to the bottom of this long post, you deserve a little treat!  I hope you can use it!


Font and artwork from DJ Inkers

And 
I am linking up with 


Click on the picture to grab some more great freebies!


Now it's your turn! 

Go link up!

Have a Happy Monday! 

October!

 

Happy October!

Tammy at Dots of Fun!  Made this great badge in  honor of her sister!

I wanted to share it in hopes you or someone you know will get checked this month!

It could save a life!

I also wanted to remind you of my great ghost freebie I have if you need it!

 

Happy October!

{Here's to hoping Texas gets some great Fall weather soon!}