Where Did My Summer Go?!?

*POOF* in one blink of an eye, my summer dwindled and disappeared into somewhere I no longer remember. Busy packing/unpacking/moving/moving again out of my apartment and classroom, really left me zero time to enjoy my break. The most exciting thing I did, were my Pinterest inspired projects and a little pamper me time at the massage spa, nail salon, hair salon, and waxing that I did ALL yesterday! That's the way to kick in the new school year...YEAH!!!

It is also my first ever...*drum rolls, please* Monday Made it with Tara from 4th Grade Frolics. 

My first Made It is my pinterest inspired overnight chilled oatmeals and water infuser recipe from Blogilates (California trainer that has her own workout series on YouTube & her line of products). I just wanted to eat healthier and better, so I decided to start from the most important meal of the day-Breakfast!

There are TONS and TONS of recipes for both the chilled oatmeals and fruit infused water online and on Pinterest. I say, add whatever ingredients you personally like. It'll give the best results when you are able to enjoy it. Both of these recipes have amazing powers though. The oatmeal will keep you filling full with tons of protein from the almond milk and yogurt. While the fruit gives you vitamins, and the chia seeds are good omega fats. The water is a great way to detox all the impurities from your body and it gives you amazing skin! You will only see me drink my 1 tea or coffee and then it is water all day. No sodas for this lady! On weekends, I may occasionally splurge on a Boba milk tea, but that's another story.

Pinterest inspired project #2 came from FallingintoFirst. I saw these last year and thought, "Wow! Now that I NEED to make and MUST have!" It was a super easy project and SO SO useful during your small-group instruction. Now your kiddos can stay seated with you and optimize as much time with you they need versus getting up and referring to a bigger chart/poster you have up on a bulletin board. I just love this!!!

My 3rd Pinterest inspired project HAS been everywhere for the last 2 years! I never got myself to do it because let's admit it, everyone needs a summer where all they do is BUM around and wear LAZY SUNDAY gear all day...every day! Okay, maybe not every day but close enough that it makes it the MOST relaxing summer ever. Unfortunately, this year was not the year. I finally did what my heart set out to do 2 years ago and made my own crate stools.

I think my table needs to be lowered a bit, but other than that, it came out really well! 

My last project isn't a pinterest inspired project, but it was definitely something I made to match my classroom neon nautical theme. I really wanted title banners for my bulletin boards that had nautical background papers to it. 

Everything was made by hand (either the cutting of the paper, the written letters, and the punching I had my sister's Cricut machine do).

SIGH...I can't believe how productive I was this year, especially because I was moving out of 2 places and into 2 new places. 1 more day of countdown before the kiddos get here. AHHH! 

Back 2 School: Teacher Must Haves

I can't believe I go back to school tomorrow. YIKES! I am SO nervous and am trying to make sure that I am bringing all of my necessary items. So...I made sure to get ALL of my daily teaching essentials ready for tomorrow. 

1). My navy Chevron teacher bag I got on Etsy 2 years ago. I carry this baby with me everywhere I go. It holds SO much crap supplies...I am like the bag lady! And it even came with a matching pencil/make-up box. Hooray!

2). My Erin Condren planner. It's my first one! It is absolutely gorgeous and I just L-O-V-E it!

3). My Pilot Frixion erasable pens. I got it on Amazon. It is pricey, but it is THE only pen that I will use for planning and data tracking because it leaves no residue when you erase. They have markers too and I use those to grade papers.

4). C.J Teach Anchor Binder (binder ONLY, not the planner) and anchor folders. I was able to purchase the binder itself only from C.J Teach for $15 each. I use mine for data tracking. Since I'll be teaching a 2/3 combo now, one will be for the 2nd graders and the other for the 3rd graders. 

What are your Back 2 School Teacher Must Haves?

My Classroom Section is Now Up and Running!

Would you like to join my crew ship and sail around my neon nautical classroom? Click on the "My Classroom" tab and enjoy your trip!

5 for Friday Linky Party

Ahoy bloggers! What a LONG and EXHAUSTING week this has been trying to get ready for the first day of school on Monday (students don't come back until Wednesday, but Mondays & Tuesdays are teacher PD days so I still have to be ready). And though, it is technically already Saturday, here I go linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for my 1st EVER 5 for Friday. Hooray!!!

I went to my new district's new teacher orientation today. Of course, showed up late because I am still sleeping at who knows what time in the morning and napping at like 5:00 p.m. for 2 + hours. Don't judge! But, I digress...what I wanted to show you fellow bloggers is one of the cute items that came in our "Swag Bag". 

Isn't it cute? It's a heart shaped measuring spoon. The card on the background was a recipe card for a successful teacher. I gave mine to my sister since she bakes/cooks me all the goodies I eat! #winning

My new mascot is a lion. So whenever my principal makes announcements or sends us e-mails, she will say, "Dear Lugonia Pride..." Love how she is into these catchy sayings to go with the school's theme. You can totally tell she was an awesome teacher when she was teaching in a classroom.

I just found out that instead of being a 3rd grade teacher like I was originally told, that I am now 3/4 Combo teacher 2/3 Combo teacher. Yupp...it keeps getting changed around. It'll be first time teaching a Combo class. Ummmm...so this banner where it says "I <3 3rd grade" will prooooobably not work. 

I love magnetic borders and bright colored painter's tape (Scotch brand though. Because school stores painter's tape just doesn't work the same way). I am in LOVE with how my Must Do's & May Do's board looks.

Saved the best for last! Aren't you glad you read all the way up to the bottom? Forever 21 is having a Back to School sale this weekend only for students and teachers. Just bring your school I.D. About 90% of my outfits that I wear to work from the Love21 line is from Forever 21. Until someone tells me I should NOT be shopping there; I am gonna keep shopping there!

Aaaaand... there you have it! I hope I can fix my sleeping schedule so I don't look like a zombie during my PDs and 1st day back with the kids!

Wow... My Newly Professionally Designed Blog!

Good Evening, everyone (or is it considered morning?)! It doesn't matter anyways. Words CANNOT express how excited I am about my new blogger design by Becca from Jumping Jax Designs. And though I am new to blogging, I have been a blogger stalker for some time now. When I first decided to start my blog, I told myself that I wouldn't look into a designer because it was just too pricey. BUT...the more I stared at my own blog, the more uninspired and unmotivated I felt. I told myself, that if I was truly going to do this, then I needed to commit fully and do it the right way. So, when I got my first paycheck from my new school district, the first thing I decided to do is to invest in a blog designer. 

Words cannot express how content I am with Becca's work! She seriously listens to what you envision, takes time to read your feedback, and communicates well with her customers! The first time she linked me to her test site so I could actually see what I imagined come to life, my heart went pitter patter (don..don...) <--- that's my heart pitter pattering.

I just wanna do a happy dance and a bunch or cartwheels (even if it is at midnight)! 

My Personal Melonheadz

Ahoy, mate! Guess what I ordered about 2 weeks ago on Etsy? That's right, use the context clue from my post title and you will know, I ordered my very own custom Melonheadz from Nikki. I seriously adore all the clip art she creates. Nikki can do no wrong. She's also just an absolute sweetheart. I ordered my Melonheadz and she asked me which 3 props I wanted. I told her for sure I wanted me holding a book, a Hello Kitty stuffed animal, and an apple. Due to copyright laws and whatnot, she's not allowed to straight up copy a Hello Kitty, so it is missing a nose, but I still love it. It makes me think of me having it for a while to the point the nose fell off which is endearing (at least I think so!).

I will be using it for every classroom newsletter, reminders, anything I can use it on; really ....

Isn't she ADORABLE (she won't have the watermarks when I use it)??????????????????

That's all folks! I just wanted to share this adorable little clip art made just for me! =)

Pinterest Board Covers

You know how you have a lot of things to do, but something is bothering you and you stop everything just to do whatever it is bothering you? Well. . . today I had me one of those days. In fact, it has been truly bothering me lately that my Pinterest board is SO damn messy! It bothered me even more after I saw LadyBugsTeacherFiles uber organized Pinterest Board Covers. Aaaannndd today, I decided to do something about it. That's right, I decided to make my own Pinterest Board Covers using some Melonheadz Illustrating graphics that I purchased and reorganized everything.

Here are my covers: (it is bothering me though that the baking clipart set gives a white background so I couldn't use my chalkboard ones for my Recipes board)

Want to know how to create your very own Pinterest Board Covers so that everything is organized in your Pinterest life? Head on over to LadyBugsTeacherFiles here where she gives some fantastic step-by-step instructions on how to customize and create them. 

AND NOW. . .  my brain is going to take a much needed brain break and call it a day. Whew! I feel accomplished!!!

P.S--> I know I don't have anything pinned. I erased it all and will re-pin again soon someday!