The 2nd Grade Chick

To get this printable click here Well the first night of creating stuff did not go so well but we have......da da da dummmmm.......ONE printable!  That's right, you heard my correctly.  The problem is we used Microsoft Publisher and cannot figure out how to create a PDF just yet.  We will probably be purchasing Corel Draw soon but that isn't gonna help anybody in the next week.  I do have a sneak peak of my idea though.  I would like to create differentiated writing printables for each day.  The first one is a nursery rhyme printable to go with the focus letter in Houghton Mifflin Journeys reading series.  Each week the learned letter will drop out of the alphabet until the write the whole thing themselves!  I eventually want to create around 10 writing center printables for each lesson/week.  Here is the first one.  The one that took all night *sigh*  Updated to say I'm FINISHED!  Get the whole alphabet here.

Here is M and J, messing around in the front yard before church directory pictures.  They make me smile. :)

So I have designed my dream kitchen but hubby says I can't have it until we save every penny, problem is I can't stop buying things for my classroom, a good friend (you know who you are) has convinced me to try out teachers pay teachers.  Hubby has agreed to help with this (he is the graphic design artist, I kind of suck at that).  So here we go.......I am announcing this for 2 reasons: 1.  I am asking you to help build my follower list, I'll post some freebie printables when I get 50 followers and 2.  I want to start tomorrow and want to be held accountable Whatd'ya say?  Will you help a girl out?  Please share my button on your blog.  Please follow me! and TIA!!  AND if you have any printable requests, please let us know!!!! to this from this ----------------->

Back to school time has been crazy around here.  I am going to admit that I've been lax on bedtime routines hoping that they would just fall into place.  Well this year I have not been so lucky.  I had to take a break from blogging in order to focus on the precious gems, otherwise known as my children.  Day 2 of strict bedtimes went like this as recorded on facebook tonight.... Determined mama on the lose, watch out kids!!! Can we beat yesterday's bedtimes?? (Well not J's) Both, still laying there-- quietly awake (convinced it is not me and that I cannot change this *sigh*) 25 minutes ago  ·  Like   ‎9:20 very quiet afraid to look............ 8 minutes ago  ·  Like   ‎9:30 M is sleeping!! I asked J if she was sleeping too and she nodded her head yes. a few seconds ago  ·  Like   I'm thinking J really did take a nap today. She told me she did but she fibs. I am so hoping this gets better, stay tuned............

Sometimes I wish they could be 3 forever..... Knock, knock Who's there? Elephant Elephant who? Elephant in the house Knock, knock Who's there?  Walter  Walter who?  Walter the Farting dog!

 My numbers and alphabet are up FINALLY!  J's calendar.  She gets crazy excited for dance days so we had to put Dora stickers on dance days and heart stickers on preschool days.    Read to self  Word slider detective cards from Lakeshore.  WORTH EVERY PENNY!    Here is what they look like revealed.    My new friends page from  Kelly's Kindergarten  Our new toy!!  Rhyme Time Bingo (from Carl's Corner ), with my voice on an ipod.  Good old fashioned tape recorder.  Computer station  Smartboard tracing  Cooperative learning  Letter matching from Kelly's Kindergarten  She's not reading them, she is sorting them by color.  I'm OK with that. :)  Tech center  You can never have too many alphabet puzzles  Houghton Mifflin Journeys card sort by J, my 3 year old

This is my favorite, favorite activity that goes on the first 100 days of school.  I stole this idea from the internet 10 years ago so I don't know who to give credit to.  If it is your idea please come forward. Every 10 days of school we make a 10 bead pattern.  I tie a not after each pattern of 10 so that we can count by 10s.  On the 100th day of school we have a colorful 100 day necklace to take home!  Already had 10 days of school?  Don't worry, many years I've started this late and played catch up.  It will be OK.  I get my supplies at  Oriental Trading Company . You didn't get this started at the beginnig of the year?  No problem.  It can be done in one day also. :) Find inspiration from these great ideas at this linky party!

I blogged last month about back to school routines.  Oh how idealistic they were.  I was soooo in dreamland.  Someway somehow I got wayyyyyyyyyyyyy far behind at school (oh yeah too much time in blogland) sooo I've spent the last two days getting my room in order and now it is time for the house.  The next go will be this daily cleaning checklist found here .  Deep cleaning will still be done on Friday nights/Saturday mornings.  Wish me luck!!

 I am new to the blogging world and I am afraid that all of my blogging and getting the new ideas lead me to a crazy start of the school year.  I was so far behind in my classroom that I had to spend all day yesterday and today getting ready for the next month.  Let me tell you though, it was all worth it when I saw that and Mrs. Greene's Kindergarten Korner voted me for a top 10! I'm pretty sure that all of my top 10s have already been nominated but I will list them anyway.  They are all top 10s to me because I have implemented something from their blog in my classroom RHYME TIME The Bubbly Blonde Go ahead and grab your award button  here