Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Awesome finds and updated behavior calendars!

Ahh.... don't you just love being able to pin, Google, blog-stalk, and browse while on summer break?! I know I sure do! Some of my bloggy friends and teacher friends have already started back, or are starting back this week- I have been there and I feel for you! I hope you all have a wonderful start to a fresh new year! I have to admit.. I'm getting a little excited to finish unpacking my room and decorating.. and who doesn't love the smell of a freshly opened box of crayons? I just love seeing all of those pointy, bright, fresh colors!

Anyways... I have a few deals/ finds that I MUST share with you!!

Have you heard of Books by the Foot? Well, you're about to!



Each large Books by the Foot box is stuffed with 150+/-* children's books in good to new condition. Mostly softcovers with some thin hardcovers, these kids books range from toddler to young adult. Less than 9¢* per book, they make great donations to schools/libraries/crisis centers/etc or great inventory for brick & mortar stores, street vendors, flea markets, and some online sellers. They can also be used as instant school libraries, interior decorating, window dressings, AND MORE!

PEOPLE, you can get 150+ books for 12.99!!!!!!!! Coming from two schools where a classroom or school library does not exist, I was so excited when I found this site through another teacher! Click below to go to check it out:

http://www.booksbythefoot.com/shop/pc/Boxed-Children-s-Books-p148.htm

(I have not been paid by nor am I affiliated with Books by the Foot.. I just couldn't keep this to myself!)

Also, have you seen this current steal on Amazon??



http://www.amazon.com/Letter-Thermal-Laminating-Pouches-UNV84622/dp/B0006VZAZS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375194003&sr=8-2&keywords=laminating+pouches+8.5+x+11

I, like most of you, are a laminating FOOL during the school year... and I have a TON of things to laminate before the new school year! I will definitely be grabbing a few of these!


Ok, so down to a few new creations and a behavior request from a teacher friend! I will be posting more about my behavior management system as the year gets closer, but for now.. here are a few new goodies in my TpT shop!

 
 
 
These are already set with the dates for the 2013-2014 school year! All you will need to do is click in the box at the bottom and insert your color system or other notes to parents! I have my students color the date box whatever color they ended on that day. For example, if a student was on green at the end of the say on the 6th, they would color the rectangle 6th box green. You could then have parents initial in the box nightly, or at the end of the week. The great thing about this document is that you can EDIT the bottom! Just click on either picture about to take you to my TpT listing, or you can click here!
 
 
The next newest creation in my shop are these classroom behavior forms!
 
 

 
Classroom Behavior Forms!

I use these "Good Go Home Notes" every day! I do my best to make sure each student receives at least 1 Good note every week. I use these as a quick communication with parents to build a positive relationship with them. I use these notes to write notes about academic or behavioral gains, down to kind manners and respect for others! The _____ Color Card/ Clip notes are for when a student makes poor choices throughout the day. This is a way for me to communicate with parents what color the student ended on and what actions led to them flipping their card/clip. The last form is an "Action Reflection" where students would take a break to reflect on their behavior when needed. Each one of these forms also includes a teacher recording sheet for documentation- just in case a note doesn't get signed and returned ;) Check out the freebie in the preview here! Don't forget to leave me some love by reviewing this product and following me on Tpt! Thanks, friends! :)
 
When do you start back to school? If you haven't started back yet, what project do you want to finish before the year starts?
 


 
 

Monday, July 29, 2013

Jace's 1st Dr. Seuss birthday party/ Monday Made it(s) #1!

I'm so excited to be joining the linky party for my FIRST Monday Made it with Tara!!


Soo.. my Monday Made it today comes to you in the form of my son's FIRST birthday party!! (I know, I know.. this is a teaching blog, right?! BUT... I will use almost every decoration in my classroom as I already have a Dr. Seuss theme- and I DID make the birthday boy!) I already shared a ton of his birthday weekend pictures, so this post will be all about the birthday boy's party!

Grab a snack and a drink... this is a long one! Stick to the end! (Hint, hint!) ;)

 Above is a picture of the Photo Booth area! The red tub has a ton of Dr. Seuss photo props! Also in this area are the party favor boxes (found here)! I didn't get a close up picture of these, but there was a little thank you tag with a pencil, eraser, cards, etc. inside! The photo booth banner was created by me!


This was the welcome/present table! The red and white striped picture frame was a plain wooden frame I found at Michael's on clearance for $1.50 and painted it! I got 4- 8x10 and 2- 4x6 you can see in this post! The frame holds a little sign that asks each guest to sign Jace's "Happy Birthday to You" Dr. Seuss book. The banner hanging in the background was created by me-and my fabulous hubby who finished sewing it for me! Also on the wall are a few Dr. Seuss quotes!
 On the table are Dr. Seuss birthday hats and blowers from here. The blue Dr. Seuss frame is from Hallmark! The little blue holder was another Michael's clearance find that I painted and added some cute red polka dotted ribbon to the little glass jars. This held the pens and a few truffula trees made with a hot gule gun, pom-poms and pipe cleaners!  
 
 
These are up-cycled reusable totes from the Target Dollar bin! I will post more about these later.. however, I took a foam poster presentation board from the Dollar Tree and cut it to the size of the reusable tote. Next, I cut the reusable tote in half, cutting off the handles also. Then I wrapped the tote tightly around the cut poster board. I taped the bags onto the board to secure them. After this was done, I hot glued the sides onto the board. The final touch was to cut a piece of ribbon and hot glue for the hanger! So cute, and only $1.25 each!


This was 1/2 of the ledge on one side of the shelter house. I decorated the ledge with Dr. Seuss plush, more quotes and pictures of the birthday boy, and the frames I painted. The banner pictured here is from here. The ribbon topiary in the red bucket was inspired by a pinterest pin (of course!)! I have about 1,000 pins of Dr. Seuss inspired parties, and I can't find the link for this one! If this was your idea, please let me know so I can credit you!

This is the other side of the ledge! More plush, pictures, quotes, banners, and balloons!

Here is a closer view of one of the frames and quotes!

Another close up showing more plush, pictures, and banners! The banner was from here and the balloon was from here
 

This is one of my favorite parts! This was a weekly picture timeline from the very first picture taken minutes after Jace was born in the operating room to his 52 week picture! I didn't take an up close picture to show the detail, but I bought mini clothespins from Hobby Lobby and tried the modge podge and glitter trick everyone is talking about! Worked like a charm! The alternating red and blue glitter clothespins turned out so cute!
 

 
These are wooden letters from Jo-Ann's that I painted and covered with scrapbook paper and modge podge!

This was the birthday boy's area! (minus the high chair! We forgot ours at home and had to make a last minute trip to Grammie and Grampie's!) The truffula trees were made from $1 pool noodles from the Dollar tree, yellow duck tape from Wal-Mart, and tissue paper from the dollar tree! I followed this tutorial.. click here. The canopy was purchased from Ikea (click here).. and made over by me! I covered the colored scallops with Dr. Seuss fabric! The cat in the hat is also a fabric piece.  

Here is a view of the other side! The 1st birthday and 1 signs are from Hobby Lobby in the party section!

 
 
Here is a picture of a table.. I used red plastic table cloths from the Dollar Tree and blue ones from Wal-Mart (the Dollar Tree didn't have the "right" color blue I was going for!) FYI-- Wal-Mart has cheaper table cloths than the Dollar Tree! On the tables, I scattered picture frames containing pictures of Jace from throughout the year. On the wall behind the table are two banners from here (just like the other red and blue ones from the previous pictures). The "Happy 1st Birthday Jace!" banner was created by me! On the ledge is the food.. it wasn't quite ready in this picture!

 Here is a close up of one of the 8x10 wooden picture frames I found on clearance from Michael's and painted! The Horton sign was also created by me.
Here is a 4x6 close up! (The cute boy in the picture was created by me, too- haha! Pictures from our amazingly talented friend and photographer- check out her website here!)

The highchair has arrived!! :) The 1st birthday star banner was from Hobby Lobby in the party section, and the birthday hat was an Etsy purchase found here!


Here is a picture of the welcome and present table! And my sweet little niece! The Jace banner across the bottom was also created by me.
 

 
The FOOD! New Blue Goo- blue Jello and Swedish fish!


Blue organizer from Target.. Yot in a Pot was chicken salad (last minute switch!), we also had One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Goldfish!
 

 
These were a HIT! We should have made at least two more trays of these! We called these Star Sneetch Oreo Truffles- they were gone in about 5 minutes! Idea from here and recipe from here!

 
Yellow Yink Drink- lemonade! The red and white striped tin was another Michael's clearance find- $0.50!! Score! The tin on the far right contains candy sticks from Party City. The red tin is from the Target Dollar Spot, and the label was made by me.

 
These were our Thing 1 and Thing 2 cupcakes.. they were a little rushed and I didn't get to finish them how I had envisioned.. but I don't think anyone cared- they tasted great! There was a TON of food not pictured here.. Hop on Pop-corn, Happy Birthday mints, etc.

 
My handsome hubby and I with our birthday boy! Our Cat in the Hat shirts can be found here! Jace's shirt was found on Etsy here!
This is the back of the birthday boy's shirt found here!

 "Ok, can I open some of these now?!"
 
Opening presents- reading a book!

His first fishing pole!

 

 
 
The beautiful smash cake made by my talented cousin! Birthday candle from here and the Cat in the Hat figurine from here.

 


Singing Happy Birthday and ready to eat some cake!
 

 He loved it!
 


 
He shoveled the icing!!
 
 
The following pictures are a few of my favorites from the Photo Booth!
(Shh... don't tell my family and friends I posted these! haha ;) Love you all)
 

 

 

 

 
 

 
 
You have no idea how awesome this picture is to have of my grandparents!
 

 My parents- LOVE this one!
 
 

 
It is amazing that this photo exists! Both of my grandparents JUST got out of the hospital/nursing home this week! My grandma had her 2nd knee replacement!
 



The birthday boy completely tuckered out! I would say he had a fabulous first birthday party!!
 
If you made it through this post... you deserve a reward!! You can snag my Dr. Seuss quotes from my TpT shop for FREE here! Don't forget to leave me some love on TpT once you download them!