Teachers of Instagram

My sweet friend Elizabeth is hosting a linky party all about my favorite social media....INSTAGRAM!

You link up your 3 favorite instagram photos, but there are a couple of rules:

1.  You can't link up a product.

2.  Make sure to check out three others who linked up.

If you would like to follow me on instagram, my username is @mrs_pauley.

It was so hard to choose only 3 favorite photos, I wanted to break the rules and choose 5 ;)  Without further ado, here are my 3 favorite photos:

This photo was taken during our vacation in the Ozarks.  I just love going there because it is so relaxing.  This is pretty much what I did most days.  Or I was on a float in the water doing the same thing....haha!

My son LOVES playing soccer and I LOVE to watch him.  (Yep....I am one of THOSE moms who yell from the sidelines...don't hate me!)  I took this photo this fall during a soccer tournament he was playing in.  

My daughter is such a girly girl and I have a sneaking suspicion that she will want to be a cheerleader in high school.  This is from the cheer clinic the high school cheerleaders put on.  She had so much fun and looked absolutely adorable!

I hope you will head on over to Elizabeth's blog and link up!  I can't wait to see your instagram photos and don't forget to include your username so we can follow you on instagram as well!

I am also going to link up with Simply Kinder for the Teaching Blog Round Up.  I am excited to find some new blogs to follow through this linky as well!  I have formed many wonderful friendships through blogging and I am so thankful for that.

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13 in '13

I am linking up with Hadar, Kristin, and Traci for the 13 in '13 linky.

I think I will have to agree that leggings are probably my favorite article of clothing.  I was shopping once with my 15 year old niece and I was looking for shirts that I could wear with leggings.  She asked what my obsession with leggings was........I said because they are basically sweatpants only socially acceptable....duh!!!  ;)

 I could not think of a new movie I saw all year that wasn't animated.  I consulted my hubby and he confirmed my suspicions.....we only went and saw movies with the kids this year.  I really liked Monster's University.  It was super cute.

I didn't watch any new TV series this year, but I do love Pretty Little Liars.  I did watch Ravenswood, the spin off, but I can't decide what I think about it yet?!?!

This was easy.  For our ten year anniversary, my hubby and I went to a fabulous restaurant down in the Ozarks called J.B. Hooks.  It was one of the best meals of my life.  I had a scallop dish that was to die for!!!

I started creating fonts.  Actually, I only created a few, but I really enjoy it.  I have just been so busy that I haven't kept up with it.  Here is a free one from my TpT store.

My hubby got me the BEST christmas gift......a DSLR camera.  He was so nervous about it that he told me before Christmas and let me help pick it out. 

The link for this pin was broken, but I just loved it.  I am the cupcake lady of the family so this was just perfect.

My favorite post was this one here.  It was from when someone touched my elf on the shelf.  I was upset when it happened and then had to think fast about what to do.  This was my solution.

I don't know if this counts, but having an amazing student teacher.  I think she will be a fabulous teacher no matter if she was paired with me or not, but I feel like I had a part in her awesome teaching skills.  I am so proud of her!!

This is a picture from our best friends' wedding.  Yep, my BFF married my hubby's BFF.  They surprised us during the reception by playing our wedding song since we were celebrating our ten year anniversary.  Really we shouldn't call them friends because they are family to us.  I am so happy that they found each other.

I would say that the wedding was my favorite memory because we had such a great time, but since I already mentioned it I thought I would choose something different.  

I got to meet up with friends Elizabeth from Kickin' It In Kindergarten and Erin from It's OWL Good in Kindergarten.  We had a blast in Chicago!  I can't wait to meet up again in VEGAS!!

My main goal for 2014 is spend more quality time with my family.  We are one very busy crew and I feel like our "quality" time keeps dwindling.  Maybe we will have one evening a week that is family night where we do something new or fun......not sure yet.  Will have to discuss that with my hubs, but it sounds like a good idea right??

POSITIVE - I want to always look for the positive in everything.  I think it will help me not to worry as much and relax.  Plus, who wants to be around a debbie downer all the time?  I know I don't.  :)

Here's to a great past year and a fabulous one to come!

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Fabulous Giveaway

Tammy is celebrating a big milestone.  1,000 followers in both her TpT stores.  Have you checked out her wonderful clipart at her Dots of Fun Store?  Check out Tammy's amazing giveaway where you could one of four fabulous prize bundles.  I have contributed an item to her Pre-K - K bundle.

Click on the image to head to her giveaway.  It only lasts through the 29th so head on over now before time runs out!

Don't forget that you only have a few more days to purchase bundles from the Central Illinois Tornado Relief Fund with all the proceeds benefitting those who were affected by the devastating tornadoes in November.  This fundraiser will only last through the end of November.  You don't want to miss out on a chance to get some amazing products at a discounted price as well as help out others.  Click on the image below to head to our fundraiser on TpT to see what products you are interested in.

There is a wonderful winter K-2 bundle if you are gearing up for after break.  I always like to teach winter concepts in January.  There is also a math bundle, an ELA bundle, and a 3-12 bundle.  Check them out!

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Merry Christmas

I just want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. 

I will probably not be blogging much during the holiday break. I plan on spending as much time with my family as possible. I hope you get to do the same. :-)

Hugs!

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Today's Freebie

Today's freebie on the 9 days of Christmas comes from me!  You can grab my Number Book for free for today only.  Click {here} to grab it.

Don't forget to follow my Facebook page to hear about all the freebies each day!  You can "like" my Facebook page {here}.

Today is my last day before Christmas break.  I am ready to spend some quality time with my little munchkins over break.  Can't wait!

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9 Days of Christmas

I am participating in a fabulous freebie 9 days of Christmas with some other amazing bloggers.

Today you can hop on over to Nicki's store to grab her freebie.  Click on the image below to head there now.

Make sure you "like" my Facebook page {here} so that you don't miss out on any of the freebies.  There will be a new one each day, but the freebie only lasts for the day.

Merry Christmas!

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We Remember

"As educators, we remember and honor our fallen colleagues and their students from Sandy Hook School.  We honor them each day in our classrooms in which we continue their dream of teaching our children.  We honor their memory with our service.  Join with teachers everywhere in committing random acts of kindness to show our love for Sandy Hook."

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Christmas Questionnaire

I am linking up with Michelle from Fabulous in First for a little Christmas Questionnaire.  I have loved reading everyone's posts that I thought I should link up too!

Hot chocolate or Egg nog?  Hot chocolate all the way!  I LOVE hot chocolate especially with some marshmallows and whipped cream on top.  :)

Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them underneath the tree?  Santa has wrapped my presents so he has also always wrapped my children's presents.  They love tearing open that wrapping paper to see what is inside.  So much fun!

Colored lights or white?  I have always loved white lights, but the hubby loves colored blinking lights.  We compromise and have both colored and white on the tree, but no blinking.

When do you decorate?  We decorate whenever we get our tree.  We get our tree whenever it fits in with the hubby's schedule.  This year his days off are Thursdays and Fridays so we went the day after Thanksgiving to get the tree and decorate because it was the only day off between Thanksgiving and Christmas that we all had off together.

Real or Fake Tree?  Both!  We have a real tree upstairs and a fake one downstairs.  My children each have their own small fake tree in their rooms.  Santa always leaves them one small gift under their individual trees too.

What tops your tree?  A star.  Growing up we always had an angel, but when I married the hubs we decided to go with a star.

Favorite Christmas Memories or Traditions?  On my December currently post, I told you about my family's annual Christmas cookie decorating party.  You can read about it here.  It is a lot of fun.  Another fun thing we do is have an annual Christmas party with my mom's side of the family.  Here are some highlights:

There is a "precious family heirloom" that gets passed on to a new family each year.  It is a really ugly and huge pitcher and bowl.  It is a big family joke.  I, luckily, have not had the honor to house the heirloom in my house for a year yet.  This year my mom was the lucky recipient.

This year we had a piñata at the party for the kids.  It was so much fun to watch them try to bust it open.  Here is my niece and kiddos trying to break it open.

At the end of the party, Santa always makes a visit and gives each child a small gift.

This was the best picture I could get of the two of them!

Do you remember your favorite gift as a child?  I honestly don't, but when I was a teenager my mom got me a snowboard.  I think that was my favorite Christmas gift ever until this year………this year the hubby splurged on me and I got this.

(He couldn't wait to give it to me because he was stressed I wouldn't like it.  He's right I don't like it…..I love it!)

Do you prefer giving or receiving?  I totally prefer giving.  I love watching others open the gifts that I so carefully picked out for them.  It is the best!

What is your favorite Christmas song?  Santa Claus is Comin' to Town by Bruce Springsteen.  

Candy Canes.  Yuck or Yum?  If you mean the candy cane hershey kisses, then yum!  Otherwise yuck.  I don't like to be sticky and I always feel sticky if I eat a candy cane.  (I realize that may sound totally weird, but that is totally me….ha!)

Favorite Christmas Movie?  Santa Claus the Movie.  It is from the 80's and I don't know why, but I love it!

Do you shop online or in stores?  This year we did a lot of online shopping and I really enjoyed not having to deal with the busy stores.  It was so much fun coming home each day to packages on the step as well.  We did buy some things in the stores though too.

Photo Cards, Letter, or Store Bought Card?  We usually do photo cards.  I love getting them too.  Although, we haven't even ordered ours yet so I doubt at this point they will get out in time for Christmas.  Maybe we will do a New Year's card????  Not sure.

Now it's your turn to link up.  I love hearing all about your Christmas fun!

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Remembering with RAK

Do you remember where you were when you heard about the tragedy at Sandy Hook?  I do.  I was eating lunch in our teacher's lounge.  One of the teachers was checking Facebook on her phone and said that there was a shooting at a school in Connecticut.  She didn't know anything other than that.  It was towards the end of lunch so we just went about our day.  When I got home, a few family members called me to ask if I heard what happened.  I watched the news in shock.  I could not believe something like this could happen to these poor innocent children and those who were taking care of them.

The next day at school I tried to focus, but all I kept thinking is…..what would I do if I was in the situation that the teachers at Sandy Hook were in.  I ran scenarios through my head of how I could protect these innocent little ones in my classroom.  I even talked to my husband about it because he is a police officer.  All day it took everything I could not to cry when I looked at my sweet little students.  I would have done whatever I could to protect them!

After school that day, I had a parent come up to me.  She asked if we talked about the tragedy at school that day.  I told her no because #1 I didn't think I could without crying and #2 I truly didn't think that 5 year olds would understand and #3 I didn't want to scare my students.  This same parent said to me, "I just want to thank you for all you do.  I know that you would do what you could to protect your students and keep them safe."  And then I lost it.  I started crying.  I had kept my emotions in all day and I wanted to respond to her with a thank you, but just cried instead.

The town of Newton, CT has asked for people to commit random acts of kindness on December 14th to honor those students, teachers, and principal who lost their lives.  Since December 14th is a Saturday I decided to do random acts of kindness with my class all throughout the week.  We will do one act each day.  Here is what I have planned:

Monday - Write Thank You notes to our janitors.
Tuesday - Give candy canes to the other kindergarten class.
Wednesday - Give lots of compliments to other students, teachers, and staff members.
Thursday - Write Thank You notes to our cafeteria workers.
Friday - Give special treats to the office staff (principal, secretary, and nurse)

I hope you consider participating in this special event.  I will never ever forget that day or those who lost their lives.

"As educators, we remember and honor our fallen colleagues and their students from Sandy Hook School.  We honor them each day in our classrooms in which we continue their dream of teaching our children.  We honor their memory with our service.  Join with teachers everywhere in committing random acts of kindness to show our love for Sandy Hook."

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Winner

Congrats to Julie for winning my Holiday Math Centers.  Check your email Julie!  :)

Thank you to everyone who commented!  I am off to watch the rest of my all time favorite movie…..Dirty Dancing.

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Holiday Math Centers

We have been working hard our Holiday Math Centers.  My students love these centers.  I think it is mainly because they are holiday themed.  I mean who doesn't love a little Santa mixed in with their learning?  I know I do!

Here are some of the centers we have been mastering:

We are doing a little non-standard unit measuring with teddy bear counters.

We are working hard on counting to 100 by 10's.  I think Heidisongs counting by 10's has helped tremendously!

 The always popular count and write the room.  My students love any center that involves a clipboard and getting out of their seat.  I try to do some sort of activity like this for both literacy and math.

I know that patterning isn't technically a common core standard, but it is a measure on our KIDS assessment that I am piloting so we make sure to cover patterning.  :)

Students love the roll and color games.  I love it too.  In this game they are using two dice.  Basically they are started addition, but they don't even realize it.  They just think they are playing a super fun game.

All of these centers came from my Holiday Math Centers Pack.  Click on the image to check it out on TpT.

It is also available in a bundle with my Holiday Literacy Centers.

Want to win yourself a copy of my Holiday Math Centers?  Just comment below with your favorite Christmas song and your email address.  I will choose a winner on Saturday!

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