Book Binding Giveaway

This book binder looks AWESOME. I never even thought i'd want one until i saw this. HOW COOL!?

Go to Miss V's blog and check out the giveaway! She's also giving away a $30 giftcard!

Monday Made-It (FINALLY!)

I know, a day late again... but i've been super busy working in my classroom! I have wanted to make the teacher toolbox that has been floating around Pinterest ALL summer... and I FINALLY did!!

I am linking up with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics for her Monday Made-It! Go check out all the amazing posts!

Here is how I made my toolbox!

cutting the labels!

my finished box!

the top! (circles are also down the sides!)

First I spray painted it white! I used the computer and smiley monster font to make my labels. I just printed them and cut them out. I taped them on scrapbook paper, which I cut and used double sided tape to tape to the inside of the little drawer. I wanted to write my name on the top, but did polka dots on the top and sides instead... still debating on my name... what do you think?

Monday Made It... a day late..

This is my first time linking up with 4th Grade Frolics: Monday Made It!

I wanted to make a special gift for my teacher friends at school and my new assistant (I think)!! After having been given one of these post-it note holders, I decided I'd make one for my friends to give to them when we go back to school!!

Here is my Monday Made It:

I used acrylic frames from the dollar store, cut out scrapbook paper, used sticker letters for the names. I hot glued the notepad on and finished with a ribbon and a bow!

Erin Condren!!

I found two awesome giveaways for Erin Condren!!

Visit Fun in First Grade for a chance to win $25 off Erin Condren Products.

Visit Just Reed for a change to win an Erin Condren Planner!

Another Awesome Giveaway!

Have you seen these amazingly cute burlap signs all over pinterest and etsy?! I have! My personal favorite is the pencil!

Nicole over at Rowdy in Room 300 is having a giveaway for 1 of these signs! Head over and check it out!


The Hands-on Teacher in First is also having a 300 follower giveaway!!
Head over and check it out!!

Mrs. Castro's Class Giveaway

Head over to Mrs. Castro's Class for an awesome 100 follower giveaway!!!

Click here!!!

The Polka Dotted Teacher

This amazing blog has reached 200 followers and is having a giveaway.

Check out the blog!!

Marley Lilly

Nothing like a chance for something pink and green to bring my butt back to this blog....

Marley Lilly is an AMAZING one stop monogram shop. They have anything you could ever want, with your monogram.

My sister and I got monogrammed baseball hats for Christmas, but we're still holding out for the floppy beach hat.

From jewelry, cups, bags, to hats, towels, and sunglasses.... You will be in monogram HEAVEN at Marley Lilly.

What I Love Wednesday..

After an extremely tough week/night for me, I thought I should be grateful for the blessings in my life. 

What I Love Wednesday!!!

My mom: she is the best. Always there and Always knows what to do.

My sister: we love each other.

My Friends:

My other half: Julianne.

My sweet Molly! :)

My oldest friend: Amanda.

Betsy: my most favorite teacher friend/roommate/partner in crime.

 My Job. My Class. My Coworkers. Half day Friday. Day off Monday!

 

'Twas the Night Before Kindergarten

and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for Miss L.

Today was the first day of kindergarten!! I tried to sleep last night, which was nearly impossible. All i could think about was what I needed to do when I got to school in the morning, my alarm going off at 5:30, and all the other things I shoula/coulda/woulda done. I woke up, wide awake, at 4am. I was so awake, I actually almost got up to shower. I forced myself not to and did fall back to sleep. 5:30 came and off I went.

I did a few things around the room and went to teacher's chapel. I used to really not enjoy going to chapel in the morning, but last year I really grew to like it. I used to feel like it was cutting into my prep time, but then I realized it was a major part of my prep time. Perks of working at a Catholic school. I went to pick up my sweet sweet new babies in the cafeteria. We lined up and went to chapel, where I was very nervous about having my 12 kids sit down and listen as our principal called roll. Well, they proved me wrong. They sat like little angels. They stood to pray. They sat back down. They didn't play with their backpacks. OMG. I knew this was going to be good. I stood so proud when they called Miss Laskowski's Kindergarten class!

Today, we spent a lot of time practicing procedures. I think we said the prayer and pledge 6 times. But, golly, those kids are going to know how to come to the carpet, stand, and pray. We read books about the first day of school. My favorite was Wemberly Worried. Later, talking to a student and his mom, the boy said "Well, we read a book about a mouse who worried about everything. But Miss Laskowski was the only one worried. She was worried that the students wouldn't like her. She was very wrong." (this a from a 4 year old, who wont be 5 til October. large vocabulary.) We also read The Night Before Kindergarten before lunch and got to draw pictures of what we did last night to get ready for kindergarten. I went around taking first day of school pictures and writing on their drawing what it was. My favorite: "This is me. I am playing with myself." While, I am sure he meant he was playing alone or by himself, it sure did make me laugh.

My class was so sweet. We are working on making sure we "fill our buckets" and make good choices. I have a feeling this is going to be such a good year. Even my supervisor said she thought I was doing GREAT!

Up for tomorrow:
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom trees

Kindergarten Classroom!

I am finally done with my classroom! I have a few more things I need to do, take home, put up.. but for the most part DONE!

This is the room before. It doesn't even show how bad it was. There were all sorts of dead bugs, dirt, dust, broken and torn books, boxes, and games. Mom spent the first day she helped, just cleaning.

This is the view when you walk in the door. There is a rug ordered for that space by the front of the room.

View of the other side of the room. The yellow is the word wall, the green is where student work will go.

another view of the whole room

view from the other corner. the shelf of the left is a writing shelf.

Small group table to the left, writing table facing the word wall

Small group table/teacher stuff.. the bins were so fun to make!

this is the art table and writing table in the back

Student cubbies

science area! the top few shelves are after-school

my *wonderful* Saxon calendar.. booo. hopefully the carpet will get here soon!

the library! my favorite part of the room! mom and i worked so hard to sort all those books!

a new computer!

another view of small group table

inside the cabinet!

my bday present! will go by the calendar!

One Year Later

I started this blog last year on my birthday. Well, here we are a year later. Last year, as I wrote this blog for the first time, I had just been hired, had Open House, and was frantically getting things together for the school year which was starting 2 days later.

I had just turned 22 and all of that seemed so scary. To be honest, at 23, it all seems just as scary. So much has changed in the past year. I was hired to teach k4 last year. This was something I struggled with everyday. It is hard to go to work everyday when the person you work with has something negative to say about everything. I learned a lot about myself by dealing with her, working with the kids, and doing weekly home visits with each family. I work at a very low socioeconomic school and I was surprised daily by the things my kids saw and experienced at home. This year I am teaching k5. I am so excited about this change, but also so so so nervous. I am ready to see some of my kids moving up with me and the rest of my new kids at Open House next Tuesday/Wednesday. My room is almost set to go (I will post pictures soon) and I am almost set to go. Last year, I had 1.5 days to prepare. This year, I have had all summer, plus this whole week of teacher work days. I feel no more prepared this year, than I did last year.

I feel like this was such a long year. My dad moved to the Dominican Republic, my brother got engaged, I changed grades, I made so many new friends, cut ties with so many other people in my life, and retied ties with old friends. It has been such a good year though.

So, tomorrow I turn 23. And yes, my bones still hurt. However, was told today by a new parent in my class that I "look too young. Like a little girl."

Goals for next year:
1) Take the GRE
2) Get into grad school
3) DO ME
4) Do a push up

What I Love Wednesday..

After 4 hours of sleep, 5 hours in the car, and 4 hours of reading training, there are so many other things I am loving.

My new JPK bag that I bought when I was in Boston. 50% off!!!! I love the green!

My 4runner. I have loved this precious car since my parents gave it to me for graduation, but I loved it even more today for getting me to and from Aiken safely.

Presbyterian College. My sweet sweet Alma Mater. I had to drive through Clinton today to get to Aiken. It always makes me feel so sentimental passing through.

This is the new reading program I will be teaching my sweet kindergarteners. I went to the training today and absolutely fell in love with it. It actually made me excited to go back to school.

School's Out For The Summer.

Well, to my 5 faithful followers, I am sorry I haven't update in 2 months. WHOOPS. I was very busy wrapping up the school year and now enjoying my summer break. Here are a few highlights of the past couple of months.

I am no longer a first year teacher. However, I still feel like one. I ended the year in K4 and next year I am moving to K5!! I am very excited and nervous about this move.

We had a huge Easter egg hunt with K3! Miss Kisha and I had a blast!

 We celebrated Cinco de Mayo. We made tacos and nachos. We also got to hit a pinata!! The kids loved this! And yes, I had someone else hang the pinata.










We had a end of the year picnic where the K3 and K4 classes went to a local playgroud. We had a blast celebrating the end of the year! Please see pictures below:

 We finished the school year with a few teacher work days where I got to go into my new classroom and do my favorite thing.... CLEAN! The teacher before me had collected a lot of things that were very dated and unnecessary to me and my classroom. I took a car load of stuff to Goodwill and a carload of stuff to the dumpster. I have been working this summer to get things ready for my new class. I made Alphabet cards to hang on my wall and number/shape cards. I am trying to do a polka dot theme, so I used polka dot background paper.

I want my room to look clean and crisp without a lot of clutter and junk. I want to use a lot of colors to make the room interesting instead of a lot of stuff.




I just got back from the Dominican Republic where mom and I went to go see dad. Here are a few pictures from that trip!

Dad and I at dinner.

Dad and I off the balcony.

View of the beach at sunset.

Mom and I at our favorite French restaurant.

Mom and I in the mountains.

The band!

View of the pool/beach.