300 followers!

Hey y'all!

I am up to 300 followers on TPT so I am offering a super neat freebie! If you are already following me on TPT, head on over and check your inbox! If you are not following me yet, click here to visit my store and follow me, and then comment below and I will contact you to fill you in on all the amazing details!! Thanks to all for your support!

Liebster Award!!

Hey y'all!

Thank you to Emily at Ms. Makinson  for nominating me for a Liebster Award! I truly appreciate the time she took to include me in this opportunity! The Liebster Award is an award for new bloggers that have less than 200 followers but have great content and potential.

1.  Why and when did you start blogging?

I created my blog back in the summer of 2012, but, after one blog post, I went MIA for another year. I started blogging more "seriously" in the summer of 2013. I decided to start blogging as a means of sharing ideas and tips for both home and classroom projects.

2.  What one word sums up the heart of your blog and why?

“Work-in-progress” While I have had this blog for 2 years.. I sometimes struggle to find time to write posts. So... it's a work in progress :)

3.  Is there something you learned late in your blog journey you wished you knew before?

Less can be more. A post doesn’t have to be a 5 paragraph essay, which I think may have deterred me from posting as often in the beginning of my blogging journey. Also, something I am still working on doing, I wish I would remember to write ideas down! I often think, “Ohh! This would be a fabulous blog post!” Then later in the evening as I sit down at my laptop my mind goes blank!

4.  What is your favorite past time other than blogging?

I love being crafty and making things. Ever since I opened my TPT shop, I learned how much I enjoy graphic designing and would LOVE to take classes in the future!

5.  How many hours per week do you dedicate to your blog?

Eek…. Definitely not as much as I should! I constantly think about it during the day, like, “Oh! I should write a blog post about this!” or “I have to take pictures of this to put on to my blog!”

6.  What category of blog posts do you enjoy the most?

I LOVE seeing classroom layouts and classroom schedules. I teach a self-contained Pre-K ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) class, so it is wonderful to see set-up ideas and lesson plans. I also enjoy reading about classroom organization tips and ideas.

7.  Where does your blog inspiration come from?

My blog inspiration comes from my successes (and sometimes my failures) in the classroom. When I find something that really works for me, I love being able to share it! When I try something and find that it doesn’t work, it’s always nice to share my experiences and ask for opinions or suggestions.

8.  Which post that you've written are you most proud of?

My favorite post was about my classroom theme from two years ago. I absolutely ADORED my classroom theme (Rock Stars) and the decorations I made for my 2-5^th grade VE classroom. If I went back to teaching the older kiddos I would absolutely do this theme again!

9.  Is there any post you've been planning to do but have been postponing it for awhile now?

I have been meaning to write a post including a classroom tour featuring the visuals I use to help students transition and remain on task throughout the school day.

10.  What is your favorite aspect of blogging?

My favorite aspect of blogging is being able to connect with people from around the world and gain ideas and insights!

11.  Which recipe, project, or idea on my blog would you be most likely to try yourself?

I adore your “What Else Can I ‘Glitter’?” Post. How FUN is this?! I definitely want to try it out! My husband hates glitter – so of course I love it and use it as much as possible J

Here are my 11 nominations of amazing blogs that I love! Make sure to check them out.

1. Autism Adventures 
2. Mrs. Burgen’s Sign Me Up 

3. Play To Learn Preschool 

4. Preschool Ponderings 

5. A Tender Teacher for Special Needs 

6. Astute Hoot

7. KinderMyWay 

8. Create Educate Inspire 

9. Anchored In Learning 

10. Cahill’s Kinder Creations 

11. Missing Tooth Grins 

Now that you've been nominated here are the official "rules" for accepting:
1. In your post link back to the blogger who nominated you as a thank you and "shout out".
2. Answer the 11 questions given to you (the ones I answered above).
3. Nominate 11 blogs that have less than 200 followers each.  Provide them with 11 questions or have them answer the questions above.
4. Let your nominees know they've been nominated and provide them with a link back to your post so that they can accept.

5. Send your nominator a link to your post so s/he can learn more about you as well.  (You can just put your post link in the comments below).

Autumn Themed Freebie!

Hey y'all!

Make sure to go grab my newest freebie! It's an Autumn/Fall themed color by sight word (Primer Words) activity set!

I also have another fun Pumpkin themed differentiated interactive story in my store. 

This interactive story focusing on prepositions contains 2 sets:

Each set includes a 7.5x11 teacher version meant to be used as a teacher as well as a 7.5x11 interactive teacher version. Also included are 5x7.5 booklet interactive versions meant to be for students to create on their own. The 2nd set includes pictures underneath each word to help with reading and comprehension. Check out the previews below and click on the image to find it in my TPT store.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to your school year!

Bye bye "blah blog", hello BEAUTIFUL!

Hey y'all!

Oh my goodness gracious, I am BACK!!  I have been pushing off blogging because of my dreadful "blah blog look", but THANK YOU to the fabulous Erika and the Honey Bunch Blog design team for putting in sooo many hours to create my perfect little blog!!!
http://honeybunchblogdesign.blogspot.com/2014/05/little-miss-edugator.html


Poor Erika... I am such a mess and incredibly indecisive and did not know what in the world I wanted. She ended up sending me dozens of links to clipart and designs for me to choose from based on my preferences and what I said I wanted... well after looking for a few days I sent her some other ideas and she said, "Hmm... that's very different from what you said you wanted in the beginning.."  Oh bless her heart!!!! I had her running in circles! Anyways, thanks to her amazing talent I have found my beautiful online home! :)
Since I have been away I have had a TON of news, requests, updates, and ideas for posts, but, obviously, I need to take it slooow!   A thought came to me earlier this morning as I was sipping my coffee and making a new "To-do" list since I lost the one I created yesterday...  For those of you who know me (personally or virtually), you probably know full well that I have ADD/ADHD. Yes, of course, all of us are a little ADD/ADHD here and there, but I am soo scatterbrained and disorganized that it drives me NUTS (and if it drives me crazy, I can't begin to think how it affects those around me *cringe*)!  I always find myself apologizing for things even if they're beyond my control. I'm also sure I've lost some friends along the way due to my inability to keep things together and focus...  which absolutely BREAKS my heart! Thank goodness for my incredible family and friends, and my oh so sweet and patient coworkers, students, and parents, who so willingly stick by my side and remind me of things I have promised them weeks before (I promise I have the best intentions)! Dragging myself back to the topic of today, my reason for writing to all of you is that as I know my ADD/ADHD has significant effects on myself, others around me, and my job as a teacher, I am wondering if you have any ailments, diagnoses, issues going on that you battle with daily (that you don't mind sharing). How do you deal with it inside and outside of the classroom? Or, if you don't work in the classroom, how does it effect your job performance? Do you have any strategies or "must have" tools that you use?  I truly look forward to hearing what you have to share! Thanks for being so great! Love y'all!