Instagram Giveaway! @teachersopenhouse

The Owl girls are joining together to give one LUCKY teacher a pair of classic TIEKS (your choice of color)!  Follow the easy steps listed below on Instagram for your chance to win!  Good Luck!!

To enter: 
1. Follow me on Instagram @teachersopenhouse
2. Like the post about the Tieks giveaway!
3. Leave a comment that answers the secret questions that I put on the post.
4. Tap the photo to see where to go next and repeat. 
This giveaway ends at 10pm EST on Tuesday, March 17.  Be sure to follow, like and comment on each photo in order to be entered. Winner will be verified and announced at @teachingmaddeness by Friday, March 20.  

Now...what can you do to spread the fun? All you have to do is spread the joy!  Let your friends in on the little giveaway secret!!

Hope you win!!

Let's Get Organized Linky!!

My friend Tessa over at Tales From Outside the Classroom invited me to take part in her organizational linky, so I jumped right in.

I want to talk to you today about my arch enemy:  CRAYONS!  I know crayons are helpful in the classroom but they drive me crazy!  They end up everywhere and I have even slipped and fallen because of them ending up on the floor.  NOT GOOD!

I've tried using these little holders for the last couple of years but have given up....the kids just do not make sure they are put back in and they roll all over the place.

So I came up with an 'old solution' but am using it in a new way!

I hope this helps!!!

5 for Friday Favorites

Here are a few of my favorite things!! 

I wanted to highlight my friend Jen because we have the same name.  No, really, it is because I am totally in awe of her.  She is a working mom and has 3 beautiful little girls and she does EVERYTHING with them....takes them to the beach, to the park, and back to the beach, and over to see her parents, and then back to the beach!  You get the idea...they like the beach!  And, to beat it all, she has 2 blogs Teacher by the Beach  and A Splash of Life AND she is constantly making new things for TpT.   She even sells Mary Kay.  <See I told you I am in awe of her!> Here is to you, Jen!!

I have started using this big ole bundle with my kids and they are making progress....finally!

I could just go through her store and check off all of the things I use that she has created.  She is a top notch curriculum developer.  I'm proud to call her one of my friends!

I just bought these brown Ja-vies (I actually think these are Sugar Coats but I they are a sister store) and I love them!  You can wear them with slacks or jeans and they look great either way.  If you wear a half-size, I would size up if you decide to partake.  These are going to be a great 'dress up' shoe for the summer because you just slip your feet right in.  They are like Jellies on the outside but have a knit fabric on the inside.  

I am proud to say that these 2 units on TpT are pretty popular right now. Desert Giant is one of my favorite books because of all of the interesting info in it.   In fact, it inspired me to get a set of 6 copies of Cactus Hotel to do with one of my guided reading groups!!  We are having a blast and I am able to throw some of this in with it!  LOVE

Now....here is my little love!  Here is my great-nephew Keegan just 6 months or so ago.

And here he is now!  Look at that curly hair!  I just love him!  His favorite things to say on the phone with me are "WASSAT?"  <What's that?> and "WHOSIS?"  <Who is this?>  He makes me laugh!

And this was a highlight of my day....my teammate, Jen, (remember, the math fairy?), is so creative this is what she was wearing when she came in for Read Across America Day!  I just loved it.  She actually painted some of the fabric to make the trees! I told her she should sell these on Etsy!!