First days FREEBIE!

I still haven't swung into Walmart for my shopping, but I have been working on my "First days" plans! Today I am offering up one of my First Days activities as a freebie.

I use Words Their Way as my spelling program and I can't say enough about it. My children show TREMENDOUS growth every year! I marry WTW word work within my guided reading and writing in response to reading with fantastic results. I will be sharing more about this soon!

This little freebie is a "First Days" activity because it is what I use to model and teach sorting words before my students actually begin their individualized units. Teaching sorting to the class using their names and features keeps the sorting universal and helps me see who can recognize spelling patterns and who may need more direction and instruction when word solving and spelling.

Enjoy!

Let the shopping...continue!

It is that time of year teacher friends! July is coming to a close and the school supplies are beginning to fill the shelves. Although we all hate to admit it, the metal strip on the back of our plastic money has weathered to a soft caramel color from classroom supply shopping abuse, but that's just how teachers DO! 

I love school shopping! What teacher doesn't get that exciting, butterfly in your stomach anticipation for the new school year to begin!? Ok, so maybe we are a little bummed that summer is coming to a close and we have to forgo actually sitting down to eat lunch. But you have to admit, there is just something magical about clean page notebooks, a new pen and the smell of a freshly sharpened Ticonderoga...with a perfect point. 

Those crazy smart Walmart marketers did their homework, because they are offering teachers a ten percent rebate on school supplies for a whole week starting today! Right smack in the middle of my, "What do I still need to get for September?" list making. After collating my lists of classroom "needs" I will be getting my Mart on! Shop safe my teacher friends and may you find every, "Just what I was looking for!"

Thank you Walmart, for remembering the teachers!

Click here for instructions on how to claim your rebate! 

Back to school taxi!

As every teacher can attest, not one of us eat in the staff room. If you are anything like me, lunch is on the fly, running copies, checking and sending emails, grading papers or setting up a lab! 

While spending the day in Ithaca, NY,  shopping The Commons, I happened to spot the greatest little treasure for back to school lunches! Snack-sacks by snackTAXI! Reusable, adjustable, machine washable and they have gads of adorable designs to choose from! Just one bag keeps as many as 1000 plastic bags of the streets! 

You can feel great modeling environmental responsibility, while looking great too! What's not to LOVE! Check them out at www.snacktaxi.com! 

A picture speaks a thousand words...

Before.

Six hours and a backache later.

It has been yet another busy week in the Asquith household. I managed to put in a few hours at school to move all of the furniture, files and fun back into room 103. My dear and handsome husband watched the littlest of the family while I made a crazed attempt to get ahead before they wax the hall floors. I walked away feeling accomplished and ready for a date night at the driving range, dinner and drinks.

We had to halt all drivers on the range
so I could retrieve the head that
projected 50 yards onto the green
after an impressive albeit surprising
stroke. 

The driving range picture speaks for itself and I woke up sore in places I didn't even know HAD muscles. Dinner and the company was fantastic, so the pain was worth it!
Mom celebrated her 60th year on this lovely little planet and I reminded her how close we truly are considering she has spent 41 of those years with me! My niece turned 1 today and we are looking forward to celebrating and catching up with the Orlando Asquith's this weekend...after Zoe's Battle at the Capital Lacrosse Tourney! Good luck 607 Lacrosse!

A shout out to Zoe! C States
Girls Lacrosse All-Star Player!
Woot! Woot!

Laminated "E" with out the bling

Thank you Sharpie! 

I found my NEW best craft product for the classroom! Sharpie's, oil based, white paint pen! I made little stitchy lines around my black, laminated letters and they turned out SO cute! It's the little things!
I am heading back to the classroom next week and will have lots to share and show. My teachers pay teachers store is coming along, as well as, the new blog layout. It is ADORABLE and
I have to give a HUGE shout out to Tenille Gates at The Cutest Blog on the Block! She is amazing! Check her out at templatesbytenille.blogspot.com! As soon as both are up and ready, you will be the first to know!
Take care for now! ~Lori

I made it! We made it! 14 years!

Zoe's First Birthday and first cupcake!
She had NO teeth yet so she
gummed her way through.
My mom saw this picture on Facebook
and thought it was Vasilia! 

14th Birthday...filled with
soccer camp and lacrosse practice,
which was thankfully cancelled due
to aforementioned tornado warnings.
Yes that is eyeblack, no she wasn't
working on the car.  

Another birthday celebrated, another milestone made! Not only did we make it through the celebrations and fun, we made through tornado warnings and crazy weather unscathed! Call me crazy, but I love this type of wonderfully crazy busy!

Here are just a few photos to share the fun! Minus tornado tickers, my tears of joy and melting ice cream cake, which  was FANTASTIC, thank you Lickety Split!

We filled her room with 14 balloons
complete with  "throw back" birthday pics
attached to each! Vasilia just
loves balloons...

I decorated the table
with throwback birthday pictures too!
This one was from her 6th
birthday. Look at that CUTE
little face! 

I found those pull poppers that
throw confetti! Noisy but FUN!
Plus they left cute mini streamers all
over the table and chandelier

On a side note...I

happened upon the BEST picture to use for Zoe's 16th

Birthday, but that is for a later post...        

 

Now onto the next birthday!

Mom's 60th and my Niece's 1st! Woot! Woot!

Okay. I just had to get this bag. It is
ADORABLE and it just captures
my Zoe and everything I want her
to learn about life.  Life IS about the little things
and she is one of my literally "little" things.
I love my peanut. Happy Birthday Zoe! 

Let the party begin!

Our oldest child is about to make her 14th trip around the sun! I just can't believe it! In two short years she will be driving and in four years going to prom, graduating high school, moving on to college! So many new chapters await...eek bring it back to 2014! My millennium baby LOVES The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. We read it at the same time and had so many great conversations! I didn't want the book to end for so many more reasons than the book ending. In honor of our bonding over books I pre-ordered the movie from Target and ordered the cutest tee off etsy! I can't wait to start the celebration off with picture balloons, dinner at Remlik's and desserts! Notice the plural form of dessert. My sweet deserves lots of sweets! Pictures and fun to come! 

It's not even September yet!

It is only July and my brain is already in high gear thinking about September! I am FINALLY getting to stay in my room from last year, enter huge sigh of relief here, which makes me even more excited to get my classroom just the way I want it!