I love fall, a fun project and a little chalkboard tip!

Good morning everyone!

I am so happy that fall is finally here! I am in love with this season. And so is my boyfriend! So we go a little crazy when fall gets here :) A good crazy! I absolutely adore everything this season offers us every year. I am talking fall food (anything with apples, pumpkin, spices, everything in the slow cooker...mmmm), fall weather (the joy of having to put on my leather jacket that I love so much or being able to put a cute sweater over my t-shirts, not having to sweat through school days where students can barely sit straight because it's so hot and uncomfortable), fall celebrations (Halloween and Thanksgiving! fun!), fall smells (thank you Bath and Body Works for always being able to make my home a little more fallish.... last year with the delicious smell of Pumpkin Patch and this year with Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin.... oh my gosh! I've got the soap, the candle and the plug-in! smells so comforting!) and let's not forget, the fact that all the good TV shows are coming back!!! Welcome back to Revenge, The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother :) YAY!

And also, this year, fall comes with another great surprise for me: The beginning of my second trimester! My nausea and fatigue are still here but I'm doing much better! I see light at the end of the tunnel :)

I wanted to talk to you about a fun project I am doing with my kids for Halloween. I've done it two years ago and for some reason I do not remember, I did not do it last year, and I missed it! My sweet little 6th graders had to choose a country they wanted to research. ( And no, in grade 6some of them do not know many countries and they think Europe is one.... ;)Not that I was any better at 12 years old! So I had to provide many options for them to choose from!) Now, they have to research the country and they will present us their findings on Halloween. Here is the fun part: They must dress up with traditionnal clothes from their country and bring a traditionnal dessert too, for the whole class to taste! Students are extremely excited about the project and have already started working on their costumes and testing out recipes at home. I can not wait to see what they come up with. Two years ago, the presentations were amazing! We had so much fun! And wow did I eat! Donuts, cakes, cookies, pies.... and because I'm the teacher, they always wanted me to get a bigger piece so let me tell you I was pretty full by the end of the day! I'll be sure to share with you how it all turns out! :)

Also, I wanted to share a great chalkboard tip with you. Washing my board has always been quite the task. I wash it daily, as I always want it super clean. but it takes FOREVER and sometimes I have to go over it a few times to remove all the chalk residues and the end result is not always as perfect as I would want it. But now, I've found an amazing solution! Lemon oil!! Have any of you every tried it? Any lemon oil should do the trick, just make sure it's not soap. I have the Pledge kind. Put a few drops on a washcloth that you will keep in a little ziploc bag. If your board is really dirty, you might need to do a quick wash with a sponge before. But if not, the lemon oil should be enough. So you simply go over your chalkboard surface with the lemon oil and voila!! It makes your board super shiny and it looks soooo clean! And you don't have to rinse the washcloth! You just put it back in the bag! I wanted to take a picture to show you a before and after shot but of course I forgot! Lemon oil can be found at the dollar store or Wal-Mart or probably Target (but not that I would know as I do not have the luxury of having one here yet :p) If you try it, let me know how you like it! Be sure to put only a few drops though because if you put too much the board will stay oily and you won't be able to write on it for a few days... Happened to my colleague!

I'm currently working on my 200 follower giveaway! Yay! A few bloggers have agreed to join in and give away some great items! Let me know if you would like to participate as well! The more the merrier! :) Just email me at misselementary@gmail.com

And for those of you interested... tomorrow is my first ultrasound!!! I don't even know if I'll be able to sleep as I am so excited! It feels like Christmas! On Thursday, I had my first doctor's appointment and we heard our little baby's heart :) If I was super excited about that, I can't imagine how I'm going to react tomorrow when I actually see the little bundle of joy! :)

Have a good day everyone and for those of you in love with fall... I think a little stop at Bath and Body Works will make you smile :)

Until next time,

MIA Much??!! But some great news! :)

Oh wow!!! Talk about MIA! I'm sooooo sorry for the lack of posting! But no worries, I'm still alive and so is this blog! I do have some great news to share however, which is part of the reason for my absence:

[www.justinbuzzard.net]

I AM PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yay! So exciting! We found out a few days after my July 26th birthday. Best birthday present EVER! :) I am  so beyond overjoyed to be having a little spring baby. So so so happy! BUT...... no one told me it would be this tough! Holy macaroni! 

First, nausea. And now I'm not talking some little morning sickness... no no! I'm talking full on 24hrs a day 7 days a week intense nausea. Wake up in the middle of the night nausea. Can't even stand the scent of my deodorant nausea. Can't eat a thing nausea. My doctor has given me a prescription pill to help with the nausea. It does make it better... at least I can eat! But the feeling is still present :( 

Second, fatigue. Extreme tiredness is more like it! Plus, with back to school! Oh my gosh! I can barely get through my school days! BTS is tough enough as it is.... but now... ouf! 

Third, hello major acne explosion!! I feel like a teenager with a pimple situation gone wrong! really wrong! Thank you Clinique products for your help :)

Now I don't want you to think I'm whining or anything but it feels good to let it out a bit! Anyone else out there who's been through intense nausea? I've had so many colleagues swear they've had zero, NADA nausea.... seriously?! 

Anyways so I've been really out of it blog-wise with this little baby being created in my belly. I've barely even blog stalked, I feel so out of the loop! But I'm going to try to be more present, I promise!

I also want to share some back to school stuff and pics but now I'm too tired to actually upload the pictures. And also, I've seen a few  amazing classroom reveals and now I'm embarrassed about my room! Ok maybe not embarrassed but still.... some are AWESOME! :)

It's currently 7:20pm over here and my bed is calling me. I'm off to get some rest (I feel like I'm living on a 10 year old schedule!). I'll be back very soon!

In the meantime, I wanted to share my baby name ideas! My boyfriend and I agree on the same names which is great and I love them!! yay!

So, if it's a baby girl: Emma

If it's a baby boy: Nathaniel

I can't wait to know if it's a boy or a girl! I have my first ultra-sound on September 24th. If we're lucky, we might find out then!

Oh and also, I've reached 200 followers! Welcome to my new followers! This means giveaway time soon! Wanna join in? I would love some help to make it a good one! Let me know :)

Until next time,

Back to school SALE!

Hi friends!

A quick post to let you know about the Back to School Sale TPT is holding this weekend. Starting tomorrow (August 12th) everything in my store will be 20% off! But wait! If you enter this code at checkout: BTS12, you will get an additionnal 10% off! This means up to 28% in savings! The sale will last until Monday August 13th. Enjoy! :)

Check out Blog Hoppin' for a list of stores joining this sale!

Until next time,

Currently and a fun BTS activity [and FREEBIE!]

Hi everyone!

It's time for a new currently! (ok well it was time a week ago but I'm late.... so sorry!)

So here we go for August:

1. Watching the Olympics... it's pretty much all we've been doing since they started! But I love it! I love the fact that everyone is watching the same thing at the same time and rooting for their country! Right now it's boxing... not my favorite but still! 

2. I can't wait to go back to school! Every summer, when August rolls around I'm ready to go back! I know I know... hello weirdo! I mean I love summer and I really LOVE not having to wake up early in the morning, being able to spend entire days by the pool not worrying about a thing, spending the day in my pjs! Yes, I love all those things but now, I've had enough :) And I love the first weeks of school! I love decorating my classroom, meeting my new students, getting to know them, explaining procedures, rules, activities...etc.... So I'm excited to go do all of that!

3. I started my summer off thinking I would accomplish SO many things! Wow have I been lazy! I really need to pick up the pace!!

4. Back to school shopping (for clothes!) is so much fun! I love started the year with a few fresh tops, pants, dresses and shoes! It makes me love bts even more! I've purchased a few items over the summer that I haven't worn because I'm keeping them for school. I've had to refrain from wearing them which was very difficult. But if I wear them now, then they don't feel new anymore once I start wearing them in September... so I've been good :)

5. I am in need of a fresh pedi! For me that means it's a week old. I re-do my pedi and choose a new nail polish every week. Sometimes I'll go get it done but I get tired of the color so fast that I'd just rather do it myself! I'm thinking I'll go with a coral polish next :)

6. I need TONS of laminating sheets! So many things I want to laminate! Also, my adorable lunch box past away last year and I ended the year using plastic grocery bags...not so fashionable! I want to go shopping for a new one and hope to find one as cute as the one I had! And last, I need bins and baskets to decorate and organize my classroom. 

Head on over to Oh'Boy 4th Grade to link up!

Next, I wanted to share a fun back to school activity that I just love doing with my kids! I try to do it on the first day of school but if you do it during the first week it would still be fine :)

I call it: The Time Capsule!!

Students fill out their time capsule with the favorites of the moment (color, food, movie, etc.) Then, I pick up all of the sheets and hide them somewhere in the classroom where they won't find them. On the very last day, I take out the Time Capsules (which sometimes they didn't even remember they'd done them!). I give them the same sheet as in September (a new blank one) and they fill it out again. Then, I give them the one they wrote in September and they can compare their favorites! Students love it! They laugh when they see what they'd written and how they favorites have changed! You would think not much would change in 10 months but oh boy! It does!

If you would like to do this activity, which is pretty quick and simple, here is your Time Capsule FREEBIE!

Click on the image to download it with Google Docs.

Ok well time for breakfast!

Until next time,

Monday Made It!... for the first time!

Hello friends!

Are you all enjoying the Olympics? I know I am! Our TV is on as soon as we wake up and we close it right before going to bed. I love watching the Olympics!! I find myself loving sports I've never watched before :) My favorite is by far gymnastics but I haven't seen any yet! I'm so sad :(  Have you seen gymnastics? I've seen mucho swimming and diving competitions but the wonders of gymnastics have yet to show up on my screen. Oh well! I'll be patient!

I'm very excited to announce that I am linking up with Tara from 4th Grade Frolics for a Monday Made It! My very first! And hopefully not my last..!

We had a really old bookcase just sitting there in our basement, doing nothing.

We weren't using it and I wanted a small bookcase for my classroom.  So we my boyfriend cut it in half.

Then we my boyfriend added some dividers to create cubby holes.

Finally, I (yes I!) painted it blue. OK well I did one coat and my boyfriend did the other one....but still! 

And voilà! Ok so the quality of the picture is non-existent.... but you still get the idea! I'm so excited to put it in my classroom and fill it with..... with...... ok I don't know what I'll be filling it up with but it will be cute! Maybe some bins/tubs? I saw really cute ones at Wal-Mart yesterday. They were 5 bucks for 2. I think I'll go back and get them!

Also, anyone knows about the Scholar's Choice website? They have LOTS of stuff for your classroom. I buy most of mine there. If you are a member, which is only $10, you get special member discounts and on August 1st you get an additional 20% off! I am in no way affiliated with the site, I just wanted to let you know! Check it out! It's worth it! I'm buying a bunch of stuff on Wednesay and I'm really excited to show it to you once I receive it! 

Well that's it for now my friends!

Until next time,

P.S. Gymnastics are starting right this second! YAY!!!! :) See... pays to be patient ;)

Tell me more, tell me more!

Hello again my friends!

So I'm breaking the bloggy rule of two posts in one day.... but I'm allowed! It's my birthday! :)
My wonderful boyfriend is preparing an amazing birthday supper and I'm not allowed to help... I can't even go in the kitchen! I'm so excited to see what he cooks :) Therefore I've got some free time!

I've been wanting to join this linky for a while now. I love getting to know my fellow bloggers! Here is your chance to get to know me a little better!

1. Nail Polish

I am obsessed with nail polish. Very much obsessed! I cannot go to the drugstore without walking out of there with a new bottle. I love them all! Neons, darks, lights, reds, pinks, blues, browns....any color can look good depending on what you are wearing! I change mine a few times a week. And what a fun obsession.... nail polish is a lot less expensive than shoes! :)
This is one of my favorite go-to shade. The name is My Chihuahua Bites by O.P.I.

2. My kitty

This is my adorable little kitty! Well, he's one now so he's a bit bigger but I just love this picture so much this is the one I wanted to show you! He is the sweetest cat ever. He follows us around the house! If I'm putting my makeup on, he's sitting on the bathroom counter, if we're cooking supper, he's laying on the floor in the kitchen, when we are sleeping, he sleeps on my boyfriend's bedside table. He's not like all the other independent cats. This little man needs affection and I'm more than happy to provide! :)

Funny thing, I never really liked cats. I was always more about dogs. But then I fell in love! Please, have you seen that little face? ;)

3. Fears

Two things terrify me in life: heights and small spaces.

Heights. I am really afraid of heights. Can't-go-in-the-ladder-while-apple-picking kinda scared! As soon as I get a little higher than I'd like, my knees start trembling and I want to cry. Seriously, it's not good! For some reason, I am still able to go on rides. I get really scared but as I am not the one in control and there's nothing I can do once the roller coaster has started, it's not as bad as when I'm going up a ladder for example.

However, one ride I will NEVER go on (you have my word on that) is this one:

The X-Scream in Las Vegas! We're talking 1,149 feet above ground! Say what!!!??? My dad did this ride when he went to Vegas and was terrified! And my dad is not easily scared. No thank you for me! Has anyone ever been on this ride?

Small Spaces. I am also very claustrophobic. I do not like being trapped in small places. This summer I went on vacation and I had to take the plane. Planes are not my favorite. I mean hello! They combine my two worst fears! But I still manage to take the plane every year because going on vacation is so much worth it! But this summer I was stuck in the first row! Boy did I not enjoy that! Being in the first row makes you feel like you are in a tiny plane! :( I had to control myself and my fear because I was surrounded by little kids who were having the time of their lives and it made me feel ridiculous to be scared. But let me tell you next plane trip, I am requesting at least row 15!

4. Sports

I am not good at sports. And that is ALL sports. I've tried a few as a child. I really thought I would fall in love with one of them. All of my friends were doing sports! I tried baseball, tennis, swimming and gymnastics. Ok so I did do gymnastics for a few years but I was not loving it as much as I would've liked and I was no Nadia Comaneci! I do go snowboarding every year but then again, I'm not the cool snowboarder you see doing all the cool jumps! And I play tennis with my boyfriend. Well, play is a big word.... but still.... I try!

As a child I was so sad because I did not like sports and was not good at them. But now that I'm older, I'm OK with it! And I've realized it's not actually true that everyone is good at sports! I've met a lot of friends who are just like me! And also... isn't shopping a sport? ;)

5. TV Shows

I love watching TV Shows! But I love watching them on DVD so that I don't have to wait an entire week before I can watch an other episode. 

As a teenager, my life revolved around Dawson's Creek and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Ah the roller coaster of the Dawson/ Joey/Pacey love triangle! I could not get over these shows! (and unfortunately could not watch them on DVD) I have watched all of the seasons and have loved these shows from beginning to end.

Now, I would say my favorite ones are Friends (which I still watch over and over again), How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Grey's Anatomy, Vampire Diaries (hello Damon!) and Criminal Minds.

I love watching shows! They make my life feel less dramatic in many many ways! And also, I always end up feeling like I actually know the characters!

6. Sophie Kinsella

I love reading her books! She is sooooo funny! Her books always put me in a good mood and are so much fun to read! My favorite one is The Undomestic Goddess. Could they please make it into a movie? :)

Well there you have it! Enough random things about me! I've told you more, now, if you haven't done it yet, it's your turn!

Until next time,

It's my BIRTHDAY and I'm having a SALE!

Hello my friends!

Today is my birthday!!!! YAY! In order for you to celebrate with me... I'm having a sale in my TPT store!

So head on over to my store to get 20% off everything :)

I was thinking of joining the Tell me more linky but I'm super hungry and I really need to go eat breakfast... so I might do it later during the day, once I have some coffee and cereal in my body!

Until next time,