To Caroline-

Well for some reason I'm unable to comment back? UGH!! So I figured I'd just write you back in a post :0)
The seating was fully funded through donorschoose.org. It is an amazing website that is able to get items for classrooms that are normally out of a teacher's/school's budget. I picked out the furniture through the Lakeshore website (click here). Hope this helps and make sure to check out donorschoose.org!! :0)

I'm BACK! ;0)

Well Blogging Buddies,
It's been a very long time since I have officially hopped on here to blog! (don't worry I've been pinning on pinterest and stalking your blogs like CRAZY! :0) )
It's been a chaotic start to the year, but I have an AMAZING class! I will be uploading some photos of some of our activities and also uploading some freebies very soon! In other exciting news we were able to get our Donorschoose.org project fully funded. My kiddos LOVE their new seating area!!!
Just wanted you all to know I'm still here and I'm still very glad you have stuck with me during my blogging brain fart. (;0P) Can't wait to update you all very, very soon!! :0)

The "S" Word!

Hello Blogging Buddies! I am sorry I've been missing in action, but I'm trying to savor the last few days of summer! Can't believe the "s" word (school...UGH!) is going to be starting soon, and shocked that some of you have already started back! So here's what I've been up to, and my final summer plans...
1. Pinterest... Also known as "crack"!!! Seriously sooooooo addicting! I've found so many amazing ideas and can't wait to show you all!
2. Splash park and lots of snuggles with my best buddy, Brody. Our local aquatic center has a splash area that my 18 month old LOVES! Best part...it's free in the morning! And he takes awesome naps after!
3. Visiting family in Missouri...seriously folks the actual temp without heat index was 107 the other day! Love my family, but holy cow this state is HOT!
4. The IOWA STATE FAIR!!!! Ok I'm sure some of your all's states have great fairs...but nothing compares to the ISF! I mean come on, we've got a life size cow made from butter and not joking, you can get adult beverages on a stick! Not to mention the amazing food! (milkshakes from the dairy barn, hot beef sundays (mash potatoes, layered with pulled beef, gravy, cheese and a cherry tomato to top it off), fried pickles, and Ginny grinders... are my FAV!) We also have amazing free entertainment like, The Band Perry! I'm also hitting the grandstand to see Casting Crowns and Jason Aldean :0)

So now that I've convinced you all how awesome the state of Iowa is, I'd better get back to my to-do list (visiting family)! What are your all's final summer plans?

Shiny Legs and Belly Buttons!

Mrs. Dillard is hosting a linky party so I thought I'd re-post this blog entry from last month and join the fun! Hope you enjoy! :0)

The inspiration behind this blog post is some of the HILARIOUS things my kiddos have said! I'd love to have you all share things that your kiddos have said as well, it'll give us all a good laugh! :0)

(Comments from kiddos when I was pregnant...)
"Mrs. B., is that the baby's head?"-Student
"No sweetie, that's my belly button."-Me
"Ohhhh, I've got one of those belly button things too!"-Student

"Mrs. B. I've figured out why you've gotten so fat!"-Student
"Because I'm going to have a baby soon?"-Me
"No...because you eat A TON!"-Student

"Mrs. B. are you going to eat something really spicy and hot to get the baby out?"--Student
"Ummm...."---Me! ( I still have no idea where that one came from!! LOL)

(comments that still have me laughing!....)
"Mrs. B. how do you get your legs so shiny?"-Student
"I don't know sweetie, lotion."-Me
"Well I don't know how you do it, but I think it's great!"-Student

"Mrs. B. you look much better when you put make up on."-Student
"And good morning to you too!" :0) - Me

"I would like D to explain how he solved his CGI problem." -Me
"Well, class, I was thinking very deeply about the problem, because I really wanted to get to my center, so I just solved it in a snap and off I went."-Student

There are so many more! I should really start writing them down! Love my first grade kiddos, you never know what they might say!!! :0)

New Kids On The Blog! Linky Party

Denise over at Yearn to Learn is hosting a Blog Mixer! Love the idea and thought maybe some other newbies might like it as well! So here are it goes... :0) Make sure to join the Linky Party! (And check out my side bar for some other AMAZING blogs, there are sooo many great blogs out there!)

1. A blogger who is a "New Kid on the Blog":

(Let's say someone who has blogged 2 months or less and has less than 200 followers)

Amber over at Apple Girl Amber has some awesome freebies and great ideas!! :0) Check out her posts on Math Work Stations, they are GREAT!

Miss. Bower's at The First Grade Jabber has a very cute blog with some great pictures of her updating her classroom, and of course I have to give a fellow Hawkeye fan a shout out! :0)

2. Post a blogger in your same grade level:
Melissa over at F is For First Grade has an amazing blog, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her ideas!

Mrs Cooley over at First Grader At Last! has the cutest classroom and some spectacular ideas! I love her "Pigeon" book ideas, they ARE SO CUTE!

3. Post a blogger in a different grade level:

Fran at Kindergarten Crayons is AMAZING!!! Freebie galore and she is so sweet to take the time to respond to her followers! Love that!

Also LOVE Deedee's blog, Mrs. Wills Kindergarten! She has a very cute blog, great ideas, and she also is so sweet to respond to her followers!!!!

4. It's all about the button. Find a cute blog button and post it:

( I thought instead of a button, I'd give a shout out to two non-teaching blogs)

Lions and Lily Pads (children's clothing...SOOOOOO CUTE!!!)

If your looking for some great recipes, cute DYI projects, or a great laugh, stop by Channeling June Cleaver, by Amanda! It's great!!

My Friend Amanda, also known as, AWESOME AMANDA!

Blogging Buddies,

My VERY talented friend,Amanda, over at, Channeling June Cleaver, has created a really neat and super cheap, fabric hoop decoration for her home. I think the hoops would also be really neat to use in the classroom! I'm thinking about putting them up and then pinning student work to the fabric hoop to "frame" the work! Just thought I would share with you all her awesome ideas and please stop by her blog!!

Check it out...HERE

WANTED: Upper Elementary Blogs!

Hello fellow Blog Friends, A friend of mine just found out that she is going to be teaching 5th grade. I have been telling her about all of your FABULOUS blogs and she is trying to find some upper elementary blogs, any suggestions? Thanks for your help! :0)

Here we go

Well here it goes... my very first blog post EVER.... (cue the echo sound effects)! Two things have inspired me to start my own blog, #1: all of you amazing teachers that have great ideas and lessons that I am addicted to reading and trying out in my own classroom. #2: A great friend of mine that is a stay at home mom. She started her blog a couple of months ago and as I read her blogs, I'm either laughing out loud, crying or trying my darnest to figure out how I could possibly be half as crafty and talented as her. (I'm very lucky she lives so close, in case I have any difficulties warming up my newest dinner experiment or trying out a new craft; she is able to come over and save me from blowing up the house or gluing my fingers to my head.) I am sending out a disclaimer, I do not claim to be the greatest or most amazing teacher, heck, I hardly know my name after a difficult day at school! I do love to learn and can't wait to get feed back and constructive advise from fellow bloggers! So here it goes, wish me luck! ;0)