Two More Wake-Ups!

What a week it's been!

Between returning on Monday after a substitute on Friday, a few behavior issues and resulting phone calls home, Galileo testing in the computer lab that was way over the kids' heads (ideal benchmark to show growth??), the dog getting skunked, trying to juggle Project Read, Words Their Way, Reader's Workshop, Writer's Workshop with limited support and time constraints, and a lock down drill, it's been a long week.

Here's a peek at our week, a few teacher steals and deals, my sweet girl, and what Bucket List event is in just two wake-ups.

• Our little bunny at the corn maze on Sunday.

•  Because I refuse to believe summer is over.

•  A messy face is the sign of a happy toddler.

•  Getting creative emphasizing punc"shoe"ation courtesy of $2 "grab bags" at Michael's stores.

• Creative writing from Friday's personal day for a friend's wedding. 

•  Ellie de-skunked.

• Starfish Syllables from Sailing into Second which I discovered through a SoCal blog hop. 

 

•  Our September Scholastic book order came in! Hooray!

•  We sorted our Words Their Way short o and long o words on paint strips.

•  My sweet-tooth loving munchkin

•  Perhaps the best snail mail I received all week: news that my request for a Pets in the Classroom grant was accepted!

•  Successfully printed on Post-Its last night! It was so incredibly easy, I may never write on Post-Its again!

•  A two-column note organizer to help us stretch a sentence about a favorite fall activity. (The magic of this profession is that 7 years in to the same grade in the same classroom at the same school, I'm still creating, tweaking, and modifying.)

• Halloween-themed prizes from Walmart for next week's BBQ Buck auction.

•  Walmart back-to-school clearance
  

•  A visit to our local teacher supply store resulted in two posters, place value block magnets, magnet circles, and a Scholastic close reading resource I've been eyeing, and they paid ME $2.24! Ah, the glory of gift certificates!

• And in two more wake-ups....

 

Hooray!

Next up, I'll be sure to share pictures from my first annual Back-to-School party for teacher friends.

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!

Hello Summer!

I've had blogging on my daily to do list for days now, and on my mind for weeks.

Particularly with the recent gorgeous weather (with the exception of Arthur), I find it harder and harder to bring myself over to the computer to sit and blog. (Not to mention the comfy, cozy, relatively-new leather couch we have that I tend to pass out on after a long day of third grade and mommy duties or more recently summer camp, errands, mommy duties, house chores, daily excursions to the splash pad, local Y, play date, lunch date, playground--you name it! By 6:30/7 when Lady K is off in Dreamland, or adorably babbling to Mrs. Owl, Puppet, Lola, or Hippity, I am EXHAUSTED.

My "me" time is spent catching up on blogs, updating my third grade classroom blog for parents and families-- mrsmacksbatchofthirdgraders.blogspot.com,  finding new places to explore courtesy of mommy friends and 365ThingstoDoontheSouthShore.com, running when I muster up the energy, and chronicling our days on instagram @thirdgradecupcakes. Oh, and baking for my up-and-coming bakery Sweet Mack Bakery. (Shameless plug: Like us on Facebook and follow our sweet treats on Instagram @SweetMackBakery.)

Here's a snippet from the start to our summer...

• I run my first half marathon with Kelsey, a teacher friend of mine who is getting married next weekend.

• Mr. Lovie and I FINALLY enjoyed a movie date night. (It had been our third attempt, and well worth it.)

•  We enjoyed a neighborhood stroll with Memere and Grammy.

• Kensington had a play date with sweet Kaelyn in Hingham. 

 

• This little girl was sickie and enjoyed a Mommy/ Daughter day at the outlets.

  

• In the world of third grade we began our balloon surprise countdown to summer. Oh boy, did we have some fun!

•  Never a dull moment during mornings with Momma...

•  Playtime with our little family.

• Enjoyed Kelsey's "I Do" BBQ and baked for the occasion. 

And that's only a wrap-up of the end of May!
 

Teacher blogger mommas, how do you do it all--they're all 25 hour/day jobs--teaching, blogging, babies! Any advice is welcome!!

Two new year's summer resolutions are to blog more consistently and make more time for me and Mr. Lovie. The school year is too often consumed by planning, grading, creating, laminating, and prepping, that I want to take full advantage of these summer months for family and Mr. Lovie. I couldn't do this ride without him.