Show Us What You Bought: A Peek into my TPT Shopping Bag and Fabulous Freebies I've Found

Like many other bloggers and TPT shoppers out there, I build my wish list over many weeks and months. I was eager to carry over some of those Wish List items into my shopping cart last night. But only after checking out what others bought first!

Be it hair products, makeup, a dress, or an athletic tank, if I eye it and love it, I'll likely ask where you snagged it! 

So after much wish listing, blog hopping, and soul searching (kidding!) I made my purchases!

(Click on the images to see the item in the TPT shops.) 

I'm so excited to create Hope King's vintage label classroom organizer. I'm looking forward to following her adventure this year and the elementary shenanigans that are sure to follow!

A Common Core standard that I have been struggling to find appropriate resources for is shades of meaning, but struggle no more! I came across this great literacy activity from Jen Jones at Hello Literacy, and I am thrilled to print, prep, and use in Room 16!

 

Another gem from Jen Jones at Hello Literacy is this Picture of the Day activity that focuses on describing and inferring key details. I love the possibilities that this product offers.

Another product I bought that I am super excited about for Guided Reading and the Daily 5 is Hashtag #fluency. With a very active classroom Twitter account (@MrsMacksGrade3), a class blog, and 5 iPad minis, we sure are a class of digital natives! This 21st century product is also from Jen at Hello Literacy. 

I have always been a fan of Kristen at Ladybug Teacher Files and she did it again! She knew I was ready for change in our classroom library, and she sure delivered!

 

Mandy Neal from Teaching with Simplicity created this cute, clever, and technology-inspired back-to-school activity I know my kiddos will love!

 

To add to my ever-growing collection of QR code activities, I purchased a few more QR Critter packs from the creatively talented Stephanie from 3rd Grade Thoughts. (I already have her summer bundle and couldn't resist these two!)

As I continue to build my classroom library of mentor texts (huge library sale next month!), I am always in search of engaging activities to accompany them. Ding! Ding! Ding! I found it! Ideas by Jivey created a huge compilation of Better Than Basal: Reading and Writing Units for 40 popular Mentor Texts including First Day Jitters,  Enemy Pie, My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother, Fireflies!, The Man Who Walked Between The Towers, Stellaluna, and How Many Days to America? just to name a few! I am thrilled to have purchased this product to add to my files.

So what was the hold up in blogging about my purchases?

I've been busy shopping vintage and antique shops with my sister...

wrapping up another season of summer camp...

celebrating 4 amazing years of wedded bliss with my best friend in the whole world...

 

a girls' day at Newport Vineyards...

the Luke Bryan concert Sunday...

 

prepping for a wedding I am baking for this weekend...

and spending precious time with this jellybean!

...and snagging a few fabulous freebies I suggest you check out...

Hall Pass signs from Jameson at Lessons with Coffee

Sterilite 5 Drawer labels in Coral and Mint from Come to the Carpet

an Instagram bulletin board template from 3rd Grade Thoughts that is free now, but may not be a forever freebie

Welcome Back Smart Little Cookie tags from Inspire Me ASAP

 

 

a Close Reading/Text Dependent September freebie from 24/7 teacher

The Daily 5 Classroom Pack from The Learning Reef

End of the Day Jar Questions to spark conversation and build community in the classroom from Aimee V at Pencils, Books, and Dirty Looks.

What a week it's been-- and it's only Tuesday!

Five on Friday: Back-to-School Freebies and Baby Outtakes

Are you following me on Instragram? No!? You totes should. While I may not blog every day or even every other day, I manage to sneak some "me" time in every day to chronicle my life on Instragram--just another creative outlet I have been drawn to--be it shots of the babe, Fat Mum Slim's photo-a-day, third grade happenings, flashbacks, sweet deals and buys, baking creations, or daily excursions.  So follow me @thirdgradecupcakes if you don't already. 

 

Beyond the day-to-day mommy responsibilities of snuggling, reading, entertaining, feeding, soothing, rocking, bottle prepping....I attempt to tackle a daily to-do list that often includes neighborhood errands, laundry (about every other day), emails, thank you notes, birthday cards, prep for an upcoming bridal shower or baby shower, household organization (baby clothes, sorting and rearranging my clothes, sorting baking toppers and accessories into organizers, creating a gift wrap station downstairs, rethinking the unused contents of the linen closet)...

If and when that is accomplished and the baby naps, I selfishly choose between pumping, showering, school prep, reading, BlogLovin' (for fear my unread items will creep beyond 99...), Pinning, Instragramming (Is this even a word?) and chronicling our daily happenings or the aforementioned household organizing. I'm finding it hard to sit and devote solid time to create, format, tweak, and perfect activities that could hardly be shared or sold alongside the likes of the fabulous Hope King and Amy Lemons! 

So while I have not found much time to sit down and create lessons, activities, and units from scratch for TPT recently, (where is the time!?) I have stolen a few minutes here and there to print, cut, laminate and prep a few fabulous activities and back to school goodies from a few of my favorite teachers and bloggers.

So here is my Five on Friday.  

 {one}

What better way to welcome back-to-school than with a photo shoot and these adorable {free} printables from A Blissful Nest, found at Living Locurto. 

(Click on the image to take you to the printables!)

 {two}

 Another back to school goody I did last year and will be sure to do again this year is Shenanigans in Second Grade's Hope King's fabulously colorful tag and sunglasses found on Amazon. The kids loved them last year, and I'm excited to use them in a first day photo shoot. 

(Click on the first image to take you to the printable. 
The photograph of the shades will take you to the product page on Amazon.)

 

 
 

 {three}

Third grade math begins with number sense and place value. Here's an I Have Who Has game from Math Coach's Corner that I am in the process of cutting, gluing, matting, laminating, and re-cutting. 

(Click on the image to take you to the {free} printable!)
 

 

 {four}

I'm looking forward to starting the year off with this Back to School iPhone from the very talented Katy at Stickers and Staples. 

(Click on the image to take you to the TPT product page!)

 {five}  

I have been in love with Pitner's Potpourri's fabulous math and literacy activities for a long time. I'm trying to get ahead as best I can, so I am tackling a large pile of fall/Halloween themed activities now. I'm in the process of prepping this fun literacy activity. 

(Click on the image to take you to the {free} printable!)

  

And on a personal note, this week marked a few milestones around our house...

Miss K turned 3 months old...

 (I love her face in that one!) 

  

 (Really, Momma? This bunny isn't even real...)

And, the hubby and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary yesterday. The traditional gift is leather so he opened up a love note in a leather journal and tickets to next week's Patriots game bookmarked within. (Because football's are made of leather...Duh. Just go with it. :) )

What will our fourth anniversary bring? 

What milestones and everyday joys will we experience in the coming year?

No matter what, I've got my very best friend by my side.

{Belated} Sunday Smorsgsbord and Monday Made It

I may be a day late for Sunday Smorgasbord hosted by Michelle at Fabulous in First, but I made it in time for Made it Monday! :)

 

{one}

 

Wedding season is in full swing. Two weekends ago was my big sister's wedding. It was beautiful. Rather, she was beautiful. It's hard to believe it's over. I cannot wait to see the professional pictures from it.

 

{two}

The babe is changing every day. Last Tuesday was her two month appointment and she did very well with her shots. Crying was expected, but that was all. She's eating 6 ounces now! (She definitely prefers breastmilk over formula but Momma can't keep up with this little piggy!) Morning snuggles are definitely a favorite part of my day.

 

 

{three}

For a number of reasons, including the fact that I still have 3 weddings, 2 showers, and 2 bachelorette parties this year, my sneaks have gotten a lot of wear the past few weeks. Weather permitting, the pup, babe and I go for daily walks--two today totaling nearly 5 miles. On alternating week nights, my wonderful husband takes on baby duty when he gets home from work, I lace up, and run. Some runs are harder than others but it truly is mind over body. A mile is a mile. I'm considering following the couch-to-5K routine to get back in gear. I'd love to register for a 5K at the end of the summer to serve as further motivation. Maybe a 10K in the fall?

 {four} 

August 8 will be out third wedding anniversary. (!!!) The traditional gift is leather, and boy, am I pumped for this year's gift.  For fear the hubs may be reading this...I'm not telling! :)

 

{five}

A good friend forwarded me an email from Boston Casting. They're looking for a baby extra for a Warner Bros movie shooting in the city Wednesday. I emailed them the information they wanted and a few pictures of Miss K. We'll see if I hear anything!

And linking up with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics, here is my Monday Made It: 

 

{Doritos crusted chicken}

I had pinned this recipe, and many others from Six Sisters' Stuff, and was ready to give it a try last night. (I always worry when I try new recipes that I will misread/mismeasure/not use common sense and royally ruin a meal.) Not this time! My husband and I both loved them, and he has three days worth of lunch. And let me tell you--one surefire way to his heart is through his stomach! Click on the image below to go directly to the recipe.

the before, during, and after of Doritos Crusted Chicken

 

{Back to School activities}

As teachers, we never stop thinking about our kids and our classroom--Target dollar bin, craft stores, blogs... Many of you have already begun your back-to-school shopping and even more of you are busy creating, cutting, prepping and laminating goodies for your class for the fall. (The evidence is on Instagram!) Here is a great Back-to-School pack of activities that includes time capsule pages for first through fifth graders for their first and last days of school as well as a self portrait template and favorites page for them to complete both at the start and end of the school year. Click the first picture to check it out on Teachers Pay Teacher.  

 

 

{ bbq-themed cupcakes}

This past Saturday the hubby, babe, and I ventured down south (nearing the RI border) to his aunt and uncle's house for a family bbq. His uncle's brother Rick was in town visiting from Florida so while the hubs and I have been together 12 years--almost 3 years married, I met a few relatives for the first time Saturday.  What's a party without cupcakes?

With the babe in bed, it's time for some quality time with the hubs!