Saturday, October 12, 2013

Hey, hey, hey...it's a GIVEAWAY!

Hey, hey, hey my bloggy friends.  Excitin' stuff happenin' this week for Deb at Crafting Connections.  She has reached 1,000 followers on TpT.  To celebrate she is havin' a Raffle Giveaway and has some phenomenal prizes with two different raffles.  I'm so excited to be a part of this special giveaway with so many other amazin' TpT sellers and bloggers around the world.  
Be sure to hop on over to Deb's blog to check out all of the awesomeness that is happenin'.

Click on the image above to hop over to Deb's blog and enter her 1000 TpT follower giveaway!  I and several other TpT sellers have donated resources to Deb's giveaway, so there's lots to be won! 
 
Raffle #2
One winner will receive all of this: 







Good luck!

Graphic Credits: 
Mini-Me by The Library Fox
Bubbles Background by Krista Wallden
Frame by Lovin Lit

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Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Tried It Tuesday: Lettin' go of Control, Murder Mysteries, & ibotta

I have a confession to make:  "Forgive me bloggers, for I have sinned.  It's been one whole week since my last blog post."  I'm surprised y'all haven't stopped followin' me yet, but I'm super glad you haven't!  Not only am I in a happy mood because it's Tuesday, one of my favorite bloggin' days because of Holly, but also because I have a FOUR day weekend comin' up.  Yep, yep, yep....scream it loud and proud with me..."FALL BREAK!"  I see nothin' in my future.  That's right...I HAVE NO OFFICIAL PLANS!  Just me, my pajamas, Netflix, Kindle app, and my couch!  I'm goin' to park my car on Thursday afternoon and see how long I can go without movin' it. This will become a game for me.  This I can guarantee you.  I'm so livin' life on the edge! Don't be jealous...

Since it's Tuesday...I'm linkin' up with my buddy Holly from the Fourth Grade Flipper for Tried It Tuesday.

                              Tried it Awesomeness #1:  Lettin' go of Control
My next door 5th grade buddies, Amy and Ashley, have paired up with my class to do state projects.  They have 44 students, so they gave each of their students an individual state to work on.  That left 6 states for my class.  That worked perfectly for us because we work in 6 table groups in my class...all day every day, but normally, I pick the groups.  Here's where I let go of control...I let the kids pick their own groups and tables to sit with to work on our projects.  This will also be their table groups for all other subjects, excludin' Math because we work whole group on the floor and then separate out into flexible groups.  I gave the students the guidelines, rubric, and due dates and let them go for it.  So far...so good!  Here are some pictures of students usin' devices to go along with our B.Y.O.D. approach to help with research.  All sorts of devices are bein' used. Desktops, laptops, smart phones, ipods, Kindles, iPads.  Don't hesitate to try this...
Tried it Awesomeness #2:  Murder Mystery Dinner
I blogged about this last week, here(at the bottom), but I wanted to share the link with you guys on where you could purchase your own Night of Mystery: Murder Mystery Party.  There are several to choose from and they are very reasonably priced.  Everything was included and it was loads of F-U-N! They even have their own bloggy blog.  I can't take the credit for stumblin' upon this awesomeness.  Jerm's brother and beautiful bride did an excellent job pickin' out the appropriate mystery for our group of friends. I'm ready to do another one...like yesterday.  Don't wait...


Tried it Awesomeoness #3: ibotta app
I also blogged about this in the past, here, but I felt like it was worth bringin' up again.  Why? Because it's free money for you crazy grocery shoppers.  I only go to the grocery store to use this app.  True story.
*I don't work for ibotta or even know anyone from ibotta personally, but I think I might be in love with them because of the whole free money to my PayPal account thing.  Is that weird?  Don't answer...
Since my last post about this in July, I have only earned an additional $12, but that's because I very sneakily have gotten out of havin' to go to the grocery store.  Don't judge...
Mom, if you are readin' this...I'm so sorry that I didn't inherit the cookin' gene from you.  If you want to finally admit that you took home the wrong child from the hospital, I'll completely understand...even if I do look exactly like you and Dad both.  Don't disown me...
                                 Hero
                                     Click here or on the picture to check it out.

                        Tried it Awesomeness #4:  Coffee instead of Diet Coke
I'm seriously....SERIOUSLY tryin' to kick the Diet Coke habit.  I went a whole FIVE days without it and then I fell off the wagon.  That's to be expected...right?  I'm tryin' something new...coffee.  I've never been a big coffee drinker, but sometimes I like to have a Starbucks here and there.  This lovely coffee appeared at my house from Marshall's...thanks to my bestie, Sharon. It is yumm-o!  It's definitely gettin' me in the mood for Fall.  Don't pass this up if you see it...
                                           Doesn't the bag look so festive? 
                                  With a cute mug like this...how can one resist? 
Bonus surprise at the end...a cute lil' giraffe! 

Have a happy week, y'all and be sure to check out everyone else's Tried it Tuesdays at Holly's blog!  Be on the lookout later in this week for somethin' excitin' happenin' for Deb @ Crafting Connections.   
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Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Tried It Tuesday...Books in Boxes and Twerkin'...

I know the title grabbed you...didn't it?  I'm linkin' up with my buddy Holly from Fourth Grade Flipper for Tried It Tuesday.  Some of you may have noticed I have been missin'....never fear..I'm back.  Last week was filled with a whole lot of awesomeness, but I'll save that for the end. Lots and lots of pictures ahead!

Tried It #1 Awesomeness:  Book in a Box by Rachel Lynette
My kids LOVED this activity.  I sent this home and gave the kids two weeks time to complete their book in a box about the book they were currently readin' independently.  This was a great way for me to stick with my plan of gettin' rid of nightly readin' folders, but still checkin' on them to see if they are actually readin' at home like they tell me they are.  We made a deal earlier in the year and so far, they are stickin' to it.
What I love about the Book in a Box...1)It's FREE 2)It had very specific instructions 3)It had a rubric

Examples...They were all so awesome and very diverse, but I couldn't put them all up:


 Love all the materials that were added for this Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling box
More of the Harry Potter box includin' wand
 Another Harry Potter in an Invisibility Cloak and a Golden (chocolate) Snitch

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Swindle by Gordon Korman

Inside the Swindle box

The Help by Kathryn Stockett decorated with Duck Tape

Inside the box with a Poo Pie and Toilet Paper

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
 (not to be confused with the movie Alice in Wonderland)

The hole that Alice falls into next to a mini Alice's Adventures in Wonderland illustrated book

Inside the Alice's Adventures in Wonderland box.

Up close in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland box.  Love the "Drink Me" bottle

Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton

Look at the tiny little Bible!

12 Finally by Wendy Mass

Love that the cards are numbered for each item and have their own little pocket.

The Giggler Treatment by Roddy Doyle.  My student said this book is "LOL".  I agree.  I always love readin' this one aloud because the kids laugh uncontrollably.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Tried It #2 Awesomeness:  Twerkin'
I know what you're thinkin'....SERIOUSLY, ALISON?  It's okay...I wasn't very good at it.  Two weeks ago I told you that I tried Zumba(insert evil laugh).  I didn't have an opportunity to go last week(keep readin' to find out why), but I went again today.  Are you proud of me for goin' back? I'm sure my co-workers were thrilled(insert eye roll and another evil laugh).  I got to freestyle and I chose "twerkin".  Twerkin' has been all the hype lately, so today we(the Zumba goers) watched the Stevie TV-Twerkin' Intervention(VH1) video before we started Zumba.  If you have ever watched A & E's real show...Intervention AND you have a sense of humor, you need to find this video on YouTube. I could not stop laughin'...beware...not appropriate for children.  So...twerkin' I tried.  Of course I didn't add pictures to this again...nope, nope, nope!  One of my wonderful teammates and my awesome instructor, Ashley, makes me tired just watchin' her dance all around.  She does it more than once a week; once is enough for me.  Ashley was the one who suggested I should do twerkin' as my Tried It Tuesday.  She's so funny and I couldn't let her down.

Weekend Awesomeness: Murder Mystery Dinner, Afternoon Weddin', & Goin' Away Party

Thursday: Jerm's little brother got married this past weekend.  We had a 1920's Murder Mystery Rehearsal Dinner...so much FUN!  The bride ordered the script online and we all got our parts ahead of time, in order to know how to dress for the occasion.  My character was Rosie Marie, the owner of the Juice Joint.  I got to introduce everyone to the party and be my bossy self...love!
My(Rosie Marie's) "nephew", Cy Ramsey.

Rosie Marie(me) with one of the gangsters, Mugsy Malone aka Jerm.

The whole gang.  Couldn't have picked a better crew of people to experience this night with!

Friday: The bride and groom had a lovely outdoor weddin' at one of our local State Parks.  I had the honor of settin' up the reception and coordinatin' the order of events durin' the ceremony.  This was a TOUGH job for sure, but worth every single minute.  I thought teachin' was hard...tryin' to round up guys in tuxedos and girls in heels in Florida, on a sunny afternoon, while keepin' them all quiet...well, it was a little like herdin' cats.  I wouldn't trade this experience for any in the world.  
All the gorgeous bridesmaids and handsome groomsmen with the beautiful bride and groom!
Jerm & I at the reception.

Saturday: On the third day of special occasions and me bein' in a dress and make-up, I attended a goin' away party for some dear friends.  By this time, I was absolutely wiped out.  I THOUGHT we were supposed to dress up for a California theme, so I went with Khloe Kardashian...she's tall, I'm tall(that's about where the similarities end).  The other two girls were supposed to be Kim and Kourtney.  They say they were...just blonde Kardashians.  The jury is still out on this one.
Kourtney(my buddy Jen), Khloe(me), and Kim(my roomie Sharon)

I've got lots of laundry and blogs to catch up on.
P.S.  I've been tryin' to make some changes...I haven't had a Diet Coke in THREE days, but I did have to take a THREE hour nap yesterday before watchin' the Saints beat the Dolphins.  I earned it after such a busy weekend...don't ya think?

Have a great week!  Be sure to check out Holly's blog for everyone else's Tuesday posts!
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