Winner Winner!!

It's winner time!!! My giveaway for following over at BlogLovin' is now over!!

Congrats to Doreen!  Woohoo. And thank you to all that entered into this quick little giveaway!!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


I hope to be offering up some other goodies later on. Maybe a facebook fan giveaway or something....LOL I dunno what!!

See ya tomorrow for Manic Monday and Monday Made It!!

 
 

Currently (already?) & Guest Blogger Sign Up

I can't believe it's already that time....time for the July Currently. Whew. I hope summer slows down some....

So of course I have to link up with Farley for her Currently. She rocks. If you aren't familiar with her blog...check it out!

Yes, the hubs is eating Cheez doodles, his go to snack. LOL pretty funny actually...no tv or music or anything else was on in the house, so of course it was a little amplified.

And as I type this....he DID have to go back to work. Ugh. No one else wanted to go in for someone that had to leave (or that could--I dunno) and as the manager, he had too since no one else would. Sucks. He just got home. And it's 35 minutes there and 35 minutes back.
Needless to say---he isn't too happy and neither am I. 

I haven't been in the PJ's all day today but I was for the majority b/c all it has done here lately is RAIN!!! Storms everyday...so that's why I need the beach but haven't been able to go. Why drive an hour and a half and it rain when I get there....grr.

Calling for 5 inches on Monday....seriously...I'll need a boat. 

I have a couple of assignments on blackboard for grad school that haven't been done yet. I guess I'll get those done tonight since the hubs had to go back to work. Grr...still don't like that very much.

I also need to clean out some bedrooms...but that's for another day.

Tips and Tricks and Hints...Just be yourself and have fun with this blogging world. I never thought I'd be doing this and have anyone want to actually read what I write (which most days are just lots of ramblings...) but it's fun, I enjoy it. 

So have at it and you'll be surprised.


Oh before I sign off....if you want to guest blog during the week of July 20th-27th...Please sign up!!! I'll be gone on a Mission Trip that week and would love to have some of you awesome people post about some awesome stuff (whatever that may be) during that time.
Once you sign up....get your post ready with all of the images, etc. that you'll need and shoot me an email with everything. I need to have it all by July 17th so I can get everything scheduled.

Click here to sign up!!!

 



Oh and quick question....which do you like better?

The plain or the one with the flowers??  I like both..hubs likes the plain but also said he likes the two flowers instead of one. Decisions. Whatcha think???

Five For Friday, Giveaways, & Guest Blogger Sign Up

I just realized how hard it is to come up with 5 awesome things to talk about when you are not working. Especially when you've been lazy relaxing quite a bit! So hopefully I can come up with a couple of things that may or may not be of any interest to you. ;)



 

1. Of course we all know that Google Reader is saying adios. Click on the button to enter some awesome giveaways for this going away party. 

 

2. I've been dabbling with doing some new things to my blog. For example: Sidebar titles. (the ones that say About me, follow me, labels, etct) Made a couple of really cute ones that will match my blog. But for whatever reason, when I upload a transparent image to blogger, it still puts an ugly black background.

Grr....any suggestions all of you techy folks?  I've googled and read and done everything it says to do but no such luck.

3. Then I got creative and tried my hand at creating an entire blog layout from scratch. Again. On my blog, I created all of it, the header, layout, etc. but I like to learn as I go. All of that html hoopla is a little overwhelming for this little 'ole K teacher though.

But wanted to try something different. It's cute. I have no use for it b/c I like what I have for now. (I like to change things up quite a bit!)

Here's a snippet....still have some kinks to work out. Teach, Read, Inspire was our school's motto this past year.

                                                                                                                           Mrs. Thigpen's Kindergarten



4. Heading off to KY at the end of July for our mission trip. Looking for some guest bloggers during that week. We will leave on Saturday, July 20th and return the following Saturday, the 27th.

So I've made it pretty easy for you to sign up.

Just go here!






Never heard of it!? It's really easy. I found it through Tonya's Treats for Teachers and thought it this is so much simpler than having to sort through emails and pick and choose! :)

Click HERE to sign up!!! If you choose to sign up, please make sure you have your scheduled post to me with any pics, etc. that you want included NO LATER THAN July 17th. I have to have time to have everything up and running, as well as PACK!!!, before I leave that Saturday!

5. Here's a freebie for you just because you guys rock and you read all the way through this post! :)  It's a few BEE planner dividers and a cover. Click on the pic to take you to Google Docs.

 

Thanks for reading!
Maybe next week I'll have something a little more engaging for this Five for Friday! Or...not! :)

 

BlogLovin' Giveaway!

 Amanda and Stacia over at Collaboration Cuties are celebrating the switch to BlogLovin' by having an amazing giveaway. And they aren't the only ones involved. Many bloggers are offering up items from their store(s). Just with a couple of clicks on the rafflecopter. Simple really.

You can win any 2 items from my TPT store just by following my blog on BlogLovin' and Like Mrs. Thigpen's Kindergarten on FB. Easy peesy! (Told you it was easy!)

If you already follow, then great! Just enter and leave your name. All done.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bloglovin' Blog Hop!

I know we all keep reading about how Google Reader is saying adios and we need to figure out something else to do when we blog stalk hop. So enter in BlogLovin'!

I'm linking up with Tori's Teacher Tips for her Bloglovin' blog hop!
 

She has an awesome tutorial at her blog that will show you how to fix up your blog at BlogLovin'. I'm still trying to figure out everything with it but it's not that bad once you get the gist. (And I'm sure like everyone else, I'm going to miss the little button that says how many people follow my blog...because each time I get a new follower I feel a little more special! LOL) But I did add the button to the right that has a number....now I just need to look at that I guess?!! Grr....

Not only does Tori have some great tips, other bloggers have hopped on the BlogLovin' Tutorial bandwagon as well.

Check these posts out too if you need help.

Elizabeth at Kickin' it in Kindergarten

Catherine over at The Brown-Bag Teacher

I know there are probably other posts out there but these are the three I could put my mouse on quickly! ;)


Make sure you if you have followed other blogs you import your blogs from Google Reader once more on BlogLovin'  before the days of Google Reader is over.

Make sure you follow my blog via BlogLovin' so you don't miss any freebies or giveaways or ramblings that I may have.
Feel free to grab the button if you want. 

Graphics by DreamLikeMagic and ScrapDebris

Created by Mrs. Thigpen's Kindergarten

Five for Friday!

  

It's Friday! :) What a busy week this week!! Here's my 5!

 

Started my FB page this week for my blog. You can check it out here---Mrs. Thigpen's Kindergarten FB page. Be sure to LIKE the page while you are there. It's a work in progress but I hope to offer up Freebies for Fans and whatnot. Maybe even do some FB Fan Freebie hops with some other bloggers who might be interest!? Any takers?

And don't forget to follow me on Blog Lovin' since all this other stuff with Google Reader is going down. Click on the button to the right -------> to follow me!!

 

Relived my youth at the New Kids on the Block concert with my two friends! LOL. It was really good but it kinda makes me feel a little old, especially when they kept saying we've been doing this for 25 years and we just thank you for following us this long! Oh wow...I would've been 6! And I remember singing on the back porch with my sister and neighborhood friends all of their songs, like we were at a concert. Those were the days.....

 I'm in the middle. Blurry.

 

I finished up two packs--Number Puzzles and Circus Literacy & Math Pack. They are now up for grabs at my TN shop and TPT store. 

 

Numbers Puzzle Pack goes up to the number 20. Click on the top picture to check it out.

 

TN shop & TPT store 

This pack has 75 pages of activities. Here are just a few examples.

 

 Jessica over at Literacy Spark is having a 200 follower giveaway that I'm lucky to be a part of! Lots of awesome things that she and over 20 bloggers are offering up. Be sure to check it out!!

 

I have already finished 3 books this week that I check out from the library. It's been so nice to just lay around and read. Now if only I can finish those journal reflections for grad school.....

   Source: Pinterest

And this is just funny:

 

 Not too much going on this week. Hope to finish up some more goodies for Manic Monday freebies and possibly some other stuff!

The first two people to leave a comment with their email will win the Number Puzzles Pack.

 

Ten Pin Linky Party!

I've been in grad school land so of course I'm a little late to this party but I love Pinterest so I couldn't pass this one up. I definitely need to take a day to organize my Pinterest boards (I've gotten lazy about it) so maybe one rainy day I'll do it. But until then.....I'm going to keep pinning! :)



 

I love how this is about Classroom Decor. What better stuff to pin at this time of year, when we are all tired and glad summer's here but already planning for next year. They say a teacher's job is 9-3 with 2 months off, whew...they just don't know do they?

 You can follow me on Pinterest here:   Nicki's Pinterest

Here are some of my pins!!

1. Love this magnet board made from an oil drip pan. I've been wanting to do something like this for awhile but have never thought about hanging up up on a bulletin board. Great use for jobs and/or math/literacy station rotations.


 
Source: Kindergarten Works


2.  I just would like to have something like this by my door so parents and the like could see it.



Source: Etsy

3. Great for voice levels. I was using something like this with a pirate theme one year but I love just the plain colors in this. It would go great with any theme and be so simple to make and easy to hang.

 

4. Cute way to display birthdays!! I need a better way, shoot, I just need to remember to display birthdays period. That seems to take a back seat some years.


Source: Mrs. William's Kinders


5. Wishful thinking....
 

6. Teacher's Toolbox: I made one of these last year. I made a smaller version (like the picture you see first) and I LOVE it. I would like to make another one this year and store small math manipulatives (erasers, counters, etc.) that I would use in small groups. That way I don't always have to rush and find what I need or if I'm short something, I'll have something close at hand.


 

Source: Kim Smith

Now I want to do this big one!


DISCLAIMER HERE: Every time I'm linking my pictures...they disappear. Go figure, so the links are where the source is if it doesn't work on the pic....sorry!! I'm trying! :)


7. Blue and green..my favorite colors. And it's soooo organized!
 
Source: Pinsforyourhome 

8. I have no room for this but could definitely do this on a small scale. Great for sight words, numbers, etc. Possibilities are endless.

 
Source: TPT 

9. Classroom Rug. Now this has to be the most creative way to create space for the kiddos. I have set up my second DonorsChoose project just this past week and it's for a classroom rug that will sit 30 kids (I had 26 this year so ya never know). Hoping to get it funded before school starts back.

But how neat is this!?!
 
Source: Johanna Garcia


10. Because it's adorable!
 


Whew this was a tough linky b/c of all the great ideas out there. Make sure you head over to Just Reed and check out everyone's pins!!
Happy pinning! 

 

Facebook Page & Questions

Quick post---off to another night of Grad school! Almost finished! 

Just made my FB page for my blog. Ya know, it can be a tad confusing as an admin of a page!?!! But I think I'm figuring it out. 

Amanda, over at Mrs. Pauley's Kindergarten (my dear bloggy friend), has graciously given me some easy directions to follow.

But how do you add tabs or whatnot at the top of the page? Like for example, if I want to offer a freebie up, do you just put in a picture and comment the first box or do you add it up at the top for people to click on??

That's confusing, I know. I have seen some FB pages that it'll say For Fans Only and you click on that and it'll give you a freebie or something.

Any suggestions!!?!

Hope you hop over and Like my page. I'm learning!!!

Five for Friday & Freebies

Today was my last workday. I feel like a horrible blogger b/c I have not blogged and/or stalked (ahem..excuse me...checked out others posts!). But I have been swamped and you'll see why in a some of the pictures.

Plus...trying to finish my capstone project. Presentation is complete, final paper is turned into the professor for final tweaking and just a couple of other things left and the big part of my final class will be finished.


The least I could do is participate in Doodle Bugs Teaching Five for Friday and offer up some freebies at the end! I hope you read all the way through!



 

1.  Well this week has been crazy busy at work. We had one designated work day (which means you can't take off...pretty much everyone has to be there) so that was our final luncheon and goodbyes to those who are leaving. My dear teacher friend next door to me is moving to TN so that's been kinda hard but she'll be teaching K when she gets there and we already decided to Skype!

2.  Organization!!! Whew...I had two big tasks in my head to do when I was packing up and I did it!  First one---I took all of my own personal books out of these bins. I needed a better way to organize my work stations (math, literacy, and writing) that my students use monthly. Sometimes (or all of the time) I have stuff and can't find it, or it's been put somewhere else, or it doesn't have a "place". I decided to do this for my sanity as well as anyone else that might need to use something. 

You can see that the April/March/May bin has quite a few things in it. I just combined it all b/c 1. I didn't have as much of this stuff & 2. I didn't want to go buy another bin!

        November is combined as well. I can always go pick up another one later on. The labels are clear taped down so it'll be easy to change up.

 Here are some finished ones by my sink. 

 

 The inside of the November bucket. I have labels on each activity, some are in ziploc bags, some are in pencil pouches and other stuff is stored in index card boxes (the thin ones you can get for like $.50 at the beginning of the school year).


3. So now what do I do with all of my books. Ugh. I have had the same file cabinet for the past 9 years and I think I used it my first two. I finally said to myself that it just has to be cleaned out (this is one task I do not like!). 

So I organized my books by theme or author depending on what I had. 

 This was what was left AFTER organizing one drawer already!

And I LOVE it!!!

I saw this on Fun and Fearless in First (click on the link to see her post about organizing her file cabinet!). She talks about this awesome Book App that you can scan all your books in. I haven't finished that b/c it takes awhile but now that they are all organized it'll go so much smoother!

4. I changed up my word wall. Less to do at the beginning of the year. It was this....

 But after 9 years...I'm popped out. 

So here's the new one....

 

 It's sooo much brighter. You can get the owl alphabet cards here by Lauren .  I made the big owl to match.

This summer I'll find some word cards or just make a set. I passed the popcorn wall on to another teacher.

5. Here are some freebies for you!!!!

These are my binders that I organized when I had a student teacher. They just don't have these cute side labels!! Maybe that'll be another workday project. Hmmm.

Just click on the picture to take you there! You can download it as a PPT file and add your own text!!

 

Here are the labels for the buckets. I just printed mine on bright colored cardstock. Again, click on the picture. It's a ppt file so download and add your own text!

 

All packed up. Time to go home for the summer.

 

I linked up over at Ladybug's Teacher Files & Fun in Room 4B's awesome organization linky party!!!