Currently, This November

So, it's November. When did that happen and can time please slow down? I have to spend it with my precious girl.

In other words, please be awesome, November...

I haven't participated in Farley's CURRENTLY in awhile, so let''s get it started!

Listening: to the Broncos and Patriots. It's Sunday, I don't really have a choice :)

Loving: Just hanging out! It's pretty cold and windy here so we've been holed up inside pretty much all day. My husband worked A LOT of overtime this week (including overnights and Saturday), so we're soaking up all the time together as a little family of 3 {{plus Georgie Girl}} eating homemade corn chowder, drinking red wine, and lighting fall candles.

Thinking: Ella needs a bath. She was a VERY messy eater today!

Wanting: Some leftover Halloween candy. We waaaay over-purchased this year. Our trick-or-treaters weren't out in droves like they were last year. I call dibs on Twix, Snickers, and Hershey's Cookies'n'Cream!

Needing: I definitely shouldn't imbibe...I've still got some baby weight hanging around, but my will power around sweets is at an all time low right about now!

Reading: You mean besides baby books, blogs, and forums? I started Yellow Crocus on a road-trip a few weeks ago. It's a beautiful book about an enslaved wet nurse who gives up her own baby to care for a wealthy family's. It's especially touching considering I have a brand new baby of my own right now. I love it so far, but I haven't had the chance to get back into it since we got home.

And now some pictures of my sweet girl, because, you know...

Starting to really smile these days!

Mid-sneeze! An outtake from our one month photo shoot!

Celebrating her first Halloween

Happy November!

Halle

Currently July, New Products, and a SALE!!!!!

Yeah I know, I’m late to the party…but what else is new?!



Shall I elaborate? But of course!

Listening: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are my new obsession. I am in love with her voice. I have also been listening to Natalie Maines {formerly of The Dixie Chicks…pretty obsessed with her voice too!}

Loving: It’s Summer! Yes!!!

Thinking: I’ve been so busy creating things for TpT and my classroom…I literally have 2 pages worth of ideas which is great except that I have this nasty habit of starting a product, get a few pages done, and then starting a new product.  I need to focus!
Here’s what I did get accomplished:



I bundled my Math and R/LA Hallway Hunts! I can’t wait to use these at the beginning of the year, and then all year long as my students’ skills progress! Read more about them here. Buy them here.



I uploaded this Craftivity too!  My Back to School Bulletin Board will say “Here’s the Scoop, Second Grade is Sweet” and my students will all make their own ice cream cones and cupcakes to hang up.  I started this waaaay back in May, so I am super pumped that it’s finally finished. I will blog more about it soon, but you can check it out here. I’m kind of obsessed with it actually.{For grades K-4}

Classroom Compliments have such a huge impact on my classroom. I can’t imagine my classroom without them. I will post on these soon, too!  Check them out here.

I am thisclose to finishing all of my updates on My Back to School Mega Pack {including updates on all the individual book studies too}!  It was fun to go back and see what I created a year ago and how things have changed since then…like my taste in fonts :)

Wanting: This is funny. I’ll explain soon.

Needing: So….we FINALLY found a house!!! I could not be more excited!! We close the end of July so I am wishing away my summer days because I want to get in there and paint and decorate!  I want to be more patient and enjoy this time off, but it’s a battle!

Tips, Tricks, or Hints: I have so many, but organizing is key…when I first started I didn’t organize my clip art very well and before I knew it I was buying clip art that I already had.  I’m much more organized now but that hasn’t helped me in my owl clip art addiction. Seriously…

This is just one image per collection, so imagine aout 100 owls on my computer! What’s sad is that there are probably more in the deep, dark, depths of my unorganized clip art files!

I also came across my very list Currently Linky from last July. Take a look at my “want”:



I’ll tell you…some things never change!

Before I go, a few things:

1} I will NOT be hosting my Favorite Things Linky tomorrow.  I’m so sorry if you already have your post ready to go {feel free to still post! I’d love to read}, but I figured so many of you would be busy celebrating America that it would be more of a hassle than anything.  Thursday, July 11th’s linky will be your vacation favorites. I am loving this Linky and all of your posts…so much fun to read!

2} Make sure you’re following me on Facebook!  My Summer of Fun is in full effect…giveaways, freebies, and sales…I don’t want you missing out!  Click here to like me on Facebook!

3} My friend Rachel so generously offered up her 4th of July Sale button that I just HAD to take part! My store is 20% off today and tomorrow! Happy Shopping! {Click the button to head on over}

Click Me!

Have a great holiday everyone!

Halle

Currently: June

It’s about that time!

Short and Sweet this time around!

Make sure you link up with Farley!

And don’t forget…my “Favorite Things” Linky starts THIS Thursday! I so hope you’ll link up!
Grab the button while you’re here by right clicking it and saving it to your computer.





See you there!

~Halle

Currently {April}

Yes.  I am just as baffled as you are as to how it’s already April!!! 

Time flies I tell ya.

On that note let’s get down to business:



Listening & Loving: Spring Break and HGTV is a deadly combination.  I watch an episode of Property Brothers and suddenly I’m getting in my car and heading to Home Depot!

Thinking: I have paper and a pen next to me, ready to make a Spring Break To-Do List.  Lots to get done!

Wanting:  It’s Spring Break, so I really wish it would feel like Spring out there!  
Tomorrow’s high is only 48.  Wah. Wahhhhh.  This winter needs to be over already!

Needing: The hubby and I are looking to buy a house by the end of the summer.  We’re currently in his grandmother’s home, and we need to decide whether to buy the house we’re in or a completely different one.  I go back and forth every.single.day.  I need a sign!

Advice: I LOVE this month’s “bonus box”, because with so many awesome bloggers linking up, there is tons of free and VALUABLE advice floating around out there right now! My advice applies more to Teachers Pay Teachers than blogging, but really it fits both.

If you are contemplating becoming a seller on TpT, or are a new seller and you want to be successful, I cannot stress QUALITY over quantity enough.  I want to make sure that I am super proud of every single product I post in my store.  I can only do that if I put my all into every single unit I make.  Sometimes that means walking away from it for hours, days, or weeks at a time. If I’m not in the mood to create a resource, I don’t.

And I ALWAYS have someone edit my work.  In my case, it’s usually my mom who is also the editor of her church newsletter.  Thanks Mom!!!*

There you have it!  Expert Advice :)

Enjoy your day everyone!

~Halle

*That brings me to my second piece of advice.  Most {if not all} of my favorite bloggers and sellers on TpT have someone, or multiple someones, that edit their products before they post them.  That being said, some mistakes still make their way to the final copy.  If you find an error in a product that you purchase, the seller will happily fix it for you.  Just make sure you ask NICELY and understand that mistakes do happen.  Even to the best of us.

Currently {MARCH}

Well I feel like I just linked up to tell you a few random things about my life, but I can’t resist a good linky…and Currently is one of my faves!



My answers don’t need much of an explanation this time around, so I’ll spare ya and just elaborate a little on my H’s!

I like anything handmade or homemade.  I like Etsy.  I like supporting small businesses which usually means handmade/homemade.  “Is that candle handmade?  Ok, yes, I’ll take it.”  And of course homemade cooking…does it get any better?!

Happy Hour?  I love it!  I love spending time with my hubby, coworkers, and best friends eating yummy {bad for you food} and relaxing with a cocktail or two.  I especially love happy hours when it’s warm, outside on a deck.  Can’t wait!

Headaches.  Enough said.  Unfortunately I get headaches more often than I’d like…mostly due to stress.  There’s really nothing nice you can say about headaches!

While you’re here, I want to tell you something really important!

See, when you comment, I LOVE it!!  Honestly, I do.

And because I love it I want to let you know by commenting back.  Except when I do that, you don’t always know, unless you subscribe to the comment feed…but I have something easier!!! Much easier!

You might not know this, but there’s a chance you’re a “No Reply Blogger”
Duh…duh…duh

That’s the bad news…the good news is that it’s a very easy fix.  I learned how to leave my days as a “No Reply Blogger” behind from a lovely tutorial  by the sweet, sweet Lori over at Teaching with Love and Laughter.  Click here to learn how to change your ways and let me email you back!  It’s so easy.  I promise!

That’s about all my friends!  Go link up!



Happy Saturday!

Halle

December Currently {and a QUICKIE giveaway!}

Well, it’s December.

When did that happen?



My Currenty this month is pretty self explanatory.  Basically, I love to buy Christmas decorations {on clearance every year…yay me!}, but the actual process of decorating overwhelms me, and it takes me forever to decorate my house.  So I’m a nut…that’s all :)

Go link up and get some RAK {Random Acts of Kindness} Inspiration!

Anddddd I decided I want to do a quickie giveaway!!!

You can have any item from our store as long as you comment below with a link of how you shared it.

This giveaway is now CLOSED.
{I go to bed early on Sundays apparently!  I'm pooped!}
I used the Christina Bainbridge method of choosing tonight's winner:
Lindsey, you win!  Check your Inbox!
Everyone else, thank you so much for taking part...maybe we'll do another one soon!
~Halle

Maybe you want one of our holiday units…

This can be a blog post, a FB link, a pin…whatever…just share the item YOU want however YOU want!  Easy Peasy!  I’ll pick a winner before I go to bed tonight. {PS: I live on the EAST coast}

Don’t forget to leave your email!

Enjoy your Sunday!

Halle

Currently

Well, it’s that time again…that time where that same little picture shows up everywhere on your Blog Reading List.

You know, this one:



I’m gonna elaborate a little this time :)

*The Lumineers are my new favorites.  They definitely fit my weekend music criteria {nothing to poppy}. The song “ Ho Hey” is my absolute fave, although they’re all great. Please, please, please check it out here.

*I got two new shirts at Anthroplogie today…not my cheapest finds ever, but hey, my husband’s golfing, so we’re even ;)

*Do you change your font choice on your "currrentlies" a million times?  Or is that just me?

*See bullet point #2

*Might curl up for one once I’m done here

*I love it because it’s music I can listen to, too.  I alternate between Indie, Disney Children's, and the Oldies.

Make sure you go Link Up!!

Alright!  That’s all for me today!  Short and Sweet!

Have a good weekend, friends!

Halle

Currently {and a Tip!}

Happy Sunday everyone!

There’s something about Sundays, starting in September.  They’re all of the sudden special again, because I know I have to go back to work tomorrow.  This morning, the hubs and I took Georgie Girl for a walk to Starbucks, and I got a pumpkin spice latte.  I’ve loved everything about this morning so far, and it’s only 10:30!!

I know I’m late to the {Currently} party, but I wanted to come anyways!


My favorite things:
1} Mac and Georgie. Obviously.
2} Balsamic vinegar makes almost everything better.  We have a store near by that sells it in every flavor imanginable.  My sister in law got me the apple {get it, I’m a teacher!!}, and I love it on veggies.  It’s also delicious on laughing cow cheese with crackers.  Yum.
3} Amazon.  It is my go to for everything.  I’m a Prime member,so I get free 2 day shipping.  If there’s something I need {not just books}, I check Amazon first.

Make sure you link up, and follow the Rule of 3!!!

***

And now, the tip you’ve been anxiously awaiting. {Indulge Me}
Yesterday, I showed off my classroom.  See it here.

In the picture of my desk, you can see a really cute little chevron bucket.  Here, look below, I made it extra easy for you to spot!

I keep student incentives in here so I remember to use them.  I used to store them in my closet, and while I was getting my room ready this year, I discovered I had literally hundreds of award certificates and notes that I had barely even touched.  Many were unopen.  I decided to grab a few of each kind {writing, reading, math, effort, behavior, super helper, caught being good, etc} and toss them in my little basket.  Now they’re front and center for me to remember to use them.  I’ve already given a few away.  These of course are on top of my regular behavior plan, just extra special little notes.

Everyone loves a little pick me up.

So there’s my tip, if there’s something small you normally store away and forget all about, keep it out to see and use!  That might be a big duh to most of you, but it wasn’t to me until about a week ago :)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and have a great start to the school week tomorrow!

Halle

My {Very First} Currently!

I've loved reading everyone's Currentlies (I think I just made up a word) for as long as they've been around, but for whatever reason, I never did one....well today is the day my friends! I am linking up with Farley over at Oh' Boy Fourth Grade!

It should come as no surprise that I absolutely love Miss Rumphius!  

I've also hinted before that I love Razzle Dazzle Writing.  I comb it over every summer.  Especially this summer, because I am really trying to overhaul my writing instruction {it's the one subject our school doesn't currently have any sort of curriculum for}.

If you are in charge of your writing program, or if you need something extra to add to it, I highly recommend this book.  Melissa Forney makes writing fun!!!


Click Farley's button to head over to her blog and link up {I don't know what I love more, the bunting or the mustache}





And, just a reminder that sweet Mrs. Stanford is hosting the mother of all give-aways over at her blog.  Go check it out!

I'm off to follow the Rule of 3!


Have a great day!


Halle