Sunday Smash-Up & Currently

It's definitely been a while since I've blogged. The good 'ole wrist doesn't seem to want to hold up to computer work and I've been trying to "save" it since school will start back soon. And then it's on! :)

I'm a little late with the Currently but I try to never miss it----thanks Farley for always doing this!

 

Listening---Well Tin Cup is over now so it's commercials, but my hubs loves watching movies so I'm usually listening to whatever he has on.

Loving--That we had an awesome trip to Kentucky for our mission trip. It's great to be back home though (see below for some pictures!)

Thinking--Ok, terrible teacher here...I've barely prepped for this upcoming year...and I have to start back in two weeks (the kiddos come the 25th). Ugh...sometimes my creative juices just completely stop and I just don't know what to do!

Wanting--A few more weeks of summer (not just two!) I have a lot to do and little time to do it.....I'll enjoy it while I can though!

Needing--To finish laundry....being gone a week with no washer and dryer....ugh....catch up time!

1st day with kids--Will be exhausting...but we stagger our kids the first 4 days in Kindergarten (meaning we will only have 5-7 each day the first 4 days and then that 5th day they ALL show up)  August 18th for me----the 25th for the kiddos!

As I mentioned before, we went to Kentucky on a mission trip. This is our 4th summer going and we LOVE every minute of it. If you follow me on InstaGram, then you've seen some pictures of what we've been up to. If you don't....then follow me @mrsthigpenskindergarten :)

We usually have around 45-55 people that go and there are many jobs that are completed during the week. One big job we had this week was to hand out 1050 FILLED book bags to schools/students in need. We started off with only 3 schools but God opened up the doors for us to bless 5 schools as well as partner with local missionaries to allow students/parents to try on and get brand-new shoes at one-particular school.

Our first day there---this was taken after church. 

 These are just some of the book bags we packed before heading to KY.

 My friend Robin and I packing one of the trailers for the first school---yes

I'm that short (LOL only 5'2) and she's that tall! :) This was a joke all week.

The third school---it was the biggest day yet. I'm in the pink hat and blue shirt. We are

picking out various shoes to fit the students and parents that need them.

My most favorite place in all of KY. It was our last night there and this was the sun

setting behind the mountain.

We had a blast as always....and it's always a reminder of how blessed I am. 

Don't forget that Teachers Pay Teachers is having their back to school sale starting TOMORROW!!! My whole store will be 20% off plus the extra that TPT throws in!!

 
                       

I'm also LOVING this new exclusive for August---how appropriate for ALL teachers. Let me know if you would like to Host a Party in August or September to earn free stuff. (I'll also give a free 1/2 sheet of wraps to someone who books a party with me in August!)  http://nickithigpen.jamberrynails.net/host/

                                

Middle Sounds Mayhem

We've been working on sounds for months now. And I mean sounds in words---beginning, middle and ending sounds. We've been working on making words, word family activities and other CVC word practice.

Middle sounds are well....sometimes not fun. Kiddos get those i's and e's all mixed up and it can be a little confusing.

We have a lot of fun with making words though and "tapping" out those sounds in CVC words.

One activity we do is make words with huge letter cards. I give each student a letter necklace and they build the word based on what I say. For example: if you have the letters to make -at go to the front. Change -at to mat, change mat to rat, etc.

We have a blast doing this. It gets them up and moving and is so much more interactive than the regular pocket chart making words that we do weekly. 

We have also been working on just hearing the middle sounds in words. Practicing those i's and e's and u's and o's......they have the /a/ sound down pat! :)

 We worked on a flip flap book to practice those pesky middle sounds. I created this little guy to help my students in my small groups. I really focused on my two middle groups that get the concept but just need that extra reinforcement. My lowest group hasn't quite tackled this yet...and may not for a while yet. 

They loved this and it was a great way for me to see who gets it, who struggles with a particular middle sound, and a great review as well. I think the best part was when the students realized it's a flip flap book! :)

You can grab it from my new Middle Sounds Mayhem pack. It's included in the 20% off sale until Monday!!

And Happy New Year!!! (Sale!)

It's hard to believe that tomorrow will be 2014. I think the older I get the faster time goes by.....does anyone else feel that way? It just seems that yesterday we were all prepping our classrooms for school to begin and now here we are, prepping for the second half of the year. This is crunch time---the time when those that are making tons of progress continue and those that are well...not....we just continue to do interventions and with fingers crossed and prayer--hope that the light bulb will click.

January is completely crazy where I work----we go back the 2nd of this month, work all next week and then have workdays and a holiday along with testing and assessments on top of report cards and PEP's, writing folders, and the list goes on. Tons of paperwork this month---sometimes not enough teaching but hey, I don't make the rules....

But we will definitely be getting in some fun stuff this month---snowmen, winter, penguins (my favorite) and lots of other goodies. 

So to bring in the New Year I'm having a HUGE sale at my TPT store. Everything is 20% off until Thursday!!!

 Thanks Ashley Hughes and the 3am Teacher for the awesome graphics

and of course my buddy Irene for the font!

  Here is a best seller that is on sale. These newsletters are completely editable so all you have to do is type and print!

 

And my Sight Word Packs are on sale as well!!

Grab them individually if you already own one----or grab the bundle to save $ and get both packs!!

 

Build a Bundle Sets and Huge Sales!

This weekend Teacher's Notebook is offering Build a Bundle sets. What's that you ask? Well many teacher authors offered up products at 50% so that you can build your very own bundle of items to fit the needs of your classroom. 

You can stock up on a ton of resources at discounted prices!!! Head on over to check it out!


 


My store at Teacher's Notebook is also 20% right now during this huge event.   

I just updated my Gingerbread Fun Pack from 70 pages to 96 pages. I added more recording sheets and other fun stuff!! It's on sale for 20% off as well. (It's also included in those bundle packs for 50% off ;)

 

My newly updated December Fun Pack is on sale as well! And can be part of a bundle.

 

If you have previously bought my Sight Word Find Pack seen below....

I have finally finished Sight Word Pack #2!!!! 
 

And if you didn't have the first one---I bundled both packs for a saving of $4!! And they are on sale as well this weekend!!!
 

 

And if you don't follow me on FB---you should. I had some flash freebies the other day for each of those packs! And some Pin it to Win it fun as well. Head on over there to check it out!. Mrs. Thigpen's Kindergarten


And who can forget the most awesome Cyber Monday sale at Teacher's Pay Teacher's this coming up Monday and Tuesday!!!! My entire store will be 20% off PLUS the extra 8% that TPT will give you at checkout with the code CYBER! :)

 

Thanks to Learning with Mrs. Leeby for the button! 

BTS Sale and a Freebie

I hope that you all filled your shopping carts the past couple of days. I bought a few items that I had my eye on for a while. Finish up your shopping before the sale ends tonight.

 

I will have my store 20% off for an extra day as well! You won't be able to get the extra 10% tomorrow but you can still save the 20%!

I'm still working in my room, today was the first "official" day back so we had our back to school meetings and some training for Power School (we are starting that this year, anyone else already use it???)

I have to go to CPR training tomorrow (fun times....) so I won't be able to work in my room tomorrow, so I'm trying to get some stuff ready for my assistant to run for open house. 

Here's a little contact log you can grab. Just click on the picture to grab it up.

  Graphics by Creative Clips and Fonts by Learning With Mrs. Leeby

 

Teachers Pay Teachers Sale & Box Tops!

Yay! It's that time of the year when TPT holds their most awesome back to school sale. I'm linking up with Kimberly over at Live, Laugh, I LOVE Kindergarten for her Sale Linky.
If you are running at sale at your store, go over and link up with her so everyone can see. Do you have tons of stuff on your wish list? I do...as usual. 

I'll have everything in my store 20% starting the day of the sale (Sunday) through the 20th (Tuesday). Only Sunday and Monday though can you get the extra 10% from TPT. But don't forget to leave feedback for  your purchases and earn points. Then redeem those points for more stuff on your wish list! :)

I've done that quite a bit and ended up with even more goodies than what I had planned on getting. 

I've been swamped in my room all week and helping a couple of new ladies on our grade level. I haven't taken any pictures of the room but I will this week. I'm loving it because it's so different than what I've done before. It's amazing how just moving something from here to there can make a huge difference. Or even adding new stuff to the wall.

I have been getting some of my mess stuff at home organized to take back to work on Monday. I have chair pockets from Really Good Stuff that were bought for our classrooms about 5? years ago. They look like these below.

 

I had plenty until our class sizes exploded about 4 years ago. So I had a friend make me a few more for my room. I bring them home every year and wash them (they wash sooo well in the washing machine and dry well too---no shrinkage, no plastic liners melting or anything).  

But oh my word, I think it's about time for some new ones. Mine look sooo bad LOL b/c they have been used for so long. Again, they hold up very well but I forgot how long I've had them and now it's beginning to show.

Oh well, until I can afford new ones mine will have to do. But I do love having chair pockets, it takes away from the ugly look of the chairs in the room (especially if you have completely different chairs through out your room!) 

So one task down---laundry for school! LOL 

I did make this today too.

 (I love oatmeal---but not plain..yuck. But add plain oatmeal to a smoothie...delicious!)

 

I've been saying every year that I need to make something to hold my box tops...well I've finally made it. I save my box tops for our PE department, they order equipment and what not so the school helps them out. 

I just used the 'ole modge podge and some left over scrapbook paper from this Monday Made It project. Then just attached it on and made a label! Easy enough, right?!

Off to finish up a few more little things and with the rainy, cool day we are having, I foresee a nap! 

Teacher Appreciation Sales and Giveaways!

Hey all you fellow educators out there!!!! Happy Teacher Appreciation week. Thank you for ALL that you do. 

We were talking about this in grad school tonight and our professor was saying that he just really appreciates all that we do!! And that he understand that many times, over and over, that we do not get the appreciation we deserve. 

Sometimes just a Thank You from those at the top, inside education and those making the policies, is all we need. Many times, that's not what we get.

But I know that I appreciate each and every one of you out there who love what you do and it shows!!

I'm linking up with Irene over at Learning with Mrs. Leeby for the TPT sale that is happening May 7th-8th (begins tomorrow!!) for their HUGE sale that they are running.

Many people at TPT are offering up to 20% off of their store and TPT will throw in another 10%. Use the code TAD13 upon checkout to receive that extra 10% off!!

Click on the pic to take you to the linky party where many many bloggers have linked up to their sales!!

My sale (see my store here) began today but it'll run until the 8th (Wednesday) at TPT.





 

Also, my TN shop is having a 50% off sale until May 10th!!! Teacher's Notebook is offering an extra 10% off of your total purchase this week as well!! 




And don't forget to enter Ms. Cranfill's 100 Follower Giveaway!! She's offering up some amazing prizes from some great bloggers!!

Currently and Giveaways!

I'm a couple of days late but I'm still linking up for Farley's currently. 

I have SuperNanny on tv---I think more for the background noise than anything! 

Raylan (the dog) is chillin' beside me---so I do believe I may take a nap with him pretty soon.

The hubs had to take a road trip with his dad today and I'm ready for him to come on home so we can watch the Super Bowl tonight.

Ok---yes tapping (pencils, fingers, etc) drives me nuts---my kiddos at school learn this very quickly. I give you the look---it means stop! LOL

And whining---ugh...no explanations necessary.

I've working with my 100 follower giveaway---be prepared to see it go up this week!!! I'm so excited!!

And don't forget about Keepin' It Kool In Kinderland's 100 follower giveaway. It ends this week!!

Also don't forget about the HUGE TPT sale happening...I mean who could forget...I sure added some stuff to my cart!!! 
Use the code SUPER for your discount!!!


Here are two of my new packets that I uploaded this weekend...hope you can check them out!

This monster set includes:

ABC wall cards (1/2 sheet size)

Numbers 1-20 (with number words and ten frames)

Shape Posters

Months of the Year

Days of the Week

This Valentine set includes:

Even and Odd sort

Write the Room activity with recording sheet (one version is number words/another with tally marks)

Cut and Paste Pattern sheet

Writing numbers to 100 (3 different recording sheets)

Addition Dominoes (with recording sheets)

Draw Your Math sheet (for dominoes)

Spin and Graph 

Matching numbers, ten frames, and number words (with recording sheets)

Oh and if you are still looking a couple of cute Valentine emergent readers don't forget to check out my Five Little Hearts packet.

It includes the book Five Little Hearts, Valentine Poem and a Colorful Hearts Emergent Reader!

Keep checking back this week for my 100 follower giveaway!!!

December Fun Pack--Finished!!! And a sale!

Finally---the December Fun Pack is finished! And it's on sale today because I missed Monday. You can grab it here for 20% off today only!!!

This pack is full of various items!
coloring sheets
number/tens frame memory
before/after number worksheets
cvc word work mats
sight word--find the elf game
2 versions of labeling Santa
What Color is Santa's Hat?--emergent reader
3 variations of Christmas List writing templates
Roll the cube/write the number activity
I can see a.......Pocket chart activity cards with writing sheet
Cut and paste beginning sounds sheet
and more....