Giveaway Time!

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

This post is going to be short and sweet.  I am here to announce I am participating in a couple GIVEAWAYS with other bloggers/TpTers.  To make things less confusing, I will share the first giveaway with you today, and the second later on in the week.

I donated my Heart-to-Heart lesson / activity to the "300 Follower Giveaway" by Amy from Eclectic Educating, who will be giving away many fabulous prizes to a couple lucky winners! 

With the Heart-to-Heart activity, your kiddos can celebrate Hearts Day by creating a Valentine's Day Figurative Language Booklet. They will make a separate page for various kinds of figurative language, including similes, metaphors, idioms, alliteration, personification, onomatopoeia, and hyperbole.  For more information, click here to read my blog post about this product. :-)

To enter the Eclectic Educating Giveaway, hop on over to Amy's page here, but do so quickly because the giveaway ends on Friday! :)

Good Luck, everyone!

XO <3, C

Valentine's Day Linky Party!

Hello everyone! Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so I thought this would be a good opportunity for me to host my first linky party! Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays. I know most people feel it's a commercial ploy, but I love the simplicity of the holiday. It's quick, easy, and doesn't have to be over the top. Plus, it's a way to spice up the very looooong winter we have here in New England. (I also do not mind receiving large bouquets of pink roses, either!) 

Frame by Creative Clips

For this linky party you may post a link to your blog or TpT store, highlighting a Valentine's Day freebie, idea, or paid product.  If you choose to link-up a blog post, don't forget to copy and paste the above graphic into your post and link it back to the party!

Check out the product I will be adding to the linky...

I created Heart-to-Heart with upper elementary students in mind.  Your kiddos can celebrate Hearts Day by creating a Valentine's Day Figurative Language Booklet. They will make a separate page for various kinds of figurative language, including similes, metaphors, idioms, alliteration, personification, onomatopoeia, and hyperbole.

On each page, students will record the definition of the kind of language highlighted, create a Valentine's Day related sentence with an example of that type of language, and illustrate their words.

There are many visuals provided in the product to help students review the concept of figurative language and the meanings of each type.

A vocabulary poster for each kind of figurative language is included, as well as a word bank to inspire creativity!

Heart-to-Heart is perfect for a language arts center, whole class assignment, or as a classroom Valentine's Day celebration activity!

Check out this product on TpT for more information. I hope you will find this useful for your classroom!

Thank you to everyone who joins my first ever linky party!

XO <3, C

Five For Friday & I'm Still Alive...Again!

Oh man oh man.  I know I wrote that blog post entitled "I'm Still Alive" about 2 months ago, letting everyone know I'm still here and blogging...hmm.  I guess that didn't work out to well.  This time, I am really trying to get back on the blogging scene though.  I swear!  Christmastime just became very busy, even for me, Miss I-Only-Sub-Now. :-) 

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with where to start with this blog post, because a lot has happened in the past 2 months since I last wrote, so I thought I'd link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for her Five For Friday linky (Sam hates that word...linky). This way it's okay to be totally random.  Plus I've secretly always wanted to join this link-up!

 

Last week, our family celebrated Sam's 29th birthday.  I can't believe he's 29!  God, he's SO OLD!  (I'm only saying that because I turned the same age 16 days before him).  To celebrate, we went to one of my favorite restaurants, Agave, with a large group of friends and his co-workers for some Mexican.  We had such a fabulous time!  I also made him Funfetti cupcakes, of course, because those are our fave!  This time, I tried something a bit new...

As you can see, they were stuffed with Oreos, and there was really no science behind it.  Just plop them right on top of some batter, and cover them over with more! MMMmmm!

Here is the birthday boy, himself! :-)

Saturday morning we received an unexpected snowstorm!  We ended up with about 7 inches. Poor Dudley has been so cooped up lately due to cold weather & icy conditions, so we decided to take a walk during the storm.  We went right over to Dudley's favorite place, large fields owned by a private school, where he could run around to his little heart's content. We were SOAKED by the time we arrived home.

I came down with the flu on Monday, which doesn't make for a very interesting week to share with you.  It was AWFUL, but really only for 1 day.  My fever climbed throughout the day and topped off over 103.  Sleeping wasn't fun at all, but luckily the next couple days I was only feeling a little off.  Definitely a far cry from my 10 day fever with mono last year, and for that I am THANKFUL!  Even so, just being trapped in the house for the past few days has already made me develop a case of the winter blues. 

I did get a chance to book a few more hotel...okay, motels, for our cross-country road trip that is coming up very soon!  Yup, we have a START date for our trip to San Diego...finally!  After we received the start date, I was able to start to break down our road trip day by day, and then start the motel reservation process.  Right now I only have one more to book for the way out there. We still aren't sure where we will be living once we arrive, but it could possibly be in La Jolla.  More exciting news on this subject- Mom is coming to visit us in March, and G & L, our family/friends, will be house-sitting and STAYING at our house while we are gone!  Hoooray!

www.roadtripusa.com

We'll be taking # 6 to Atlanta and then heading to San Diego via #10.  Can't wait!

I recently uploaded a couple new products to TpT.  One has a Valentine's Day theme, which I will share later, and the other is very chilly...

The Blustery Blizzard focuses on nouns, verbs, and adjectives, but since many find grammar to be a bit dull, it is very HANDS-ON.  There's only so many grammar worksheets and workbook pages a child can take!

Partner up your kiddos and provide them each their own mat and set of WINTERY-themed word cards! Next, your students will take turns rolling a 6-sided die and use the key on the activity's instructions to understand the meaning of each number they roll. Some numbers will prompt them to choose a word card with a certain part of speech (NOUN, VERB, or ADJECTIVE), which they must place on the correct section of their sorting mat. Other numbers will prompt students to remove a word card from their mat or skip a turn. If they roll a 5, WILD, they're able to choose any word card to add to their sorting mat!  The object of the game is to be the first student to have all of his/her cards sorted correctly.

 I would love for you to take a look at my grammar activity at my TpT store here, and I hope some of you will find it useful in your classroom!

Well friends, that just about finishes up my "Five For Friday"! Cheers to the weekend!

XO <3, C

Wish List Wednesday!

Happy Wish List Wednesday, y'all! (I think blogging makes me a wanna-be southerner)!

 

Miss Rebecca Reid is hosting a Wish List Wednesday linky party on her blog, Line upon Line Learning, so I thought I might as well jump on the linky bandwagon and give it a try. :-)


I'm feeling a bit funny about writing a wish list right now, because I should be creating a list of everything I am grateful for instead.  Oh well, Christmas is right around the corner, and with that comes BLACK FRIDAY, CYBER MONDAY, shopping 'til you're dropping, and holiday wish lists!  That also means something to TpTers...A SALE!  I am excited to finally announce TpT will be hosting a sale on Monday, December 2nd and Tuesday, December 3rd!  All products made by A Chocolate Dudley will be on sale for a total of 28% off, including my newest product, Help Wanted at the North Pole! I must must MUST do a separate blog post about this Creative Writing Letter of Interest Project & Craftivity ASAP!   (Just an FYI to buyers, you will see my store's sale price set as 20% off, but upon entering the promo code, CYBER, your discount will be increased to 28%).

Now that the big TpT sale is coming up, there are a few (okay, many) products I'd like to go ahead and purchase.  Check out my TpT and Christmas Wish List below.  I'll try to control myself and be reasonable. :)

1. Game Boards Galore by Krista Wallden- I'd love to start making boardgames for math fact practice!

2. Money Digital Stamps Set by Ginger Snaps Clip Art- Isn't her style too cute? I just KNOW I'll need this soon!

3. 3rd Grade Common Core Writing Rubrics by Katie Leseman- I may not need these at the moment, but I'd sure love to have them in the future!  They look easy to use and very detailed.  Great idea!

4. Britt Trapper Minnetonka Moccasins- I am in desperate need of some new slippers as mine are dirty, falling apart, and now have kitchen paint splattered across them.  I love this pair of cinnamon moccasins at Famous Footwear, but have seen a similar style by Minnetonka in a sparkly charcoal color at Macy's that are also cute.  

5. Wool Blend Toggle Sweater Jacket by The Loft- I tried this on the other night, when I was supposed to be Christmas shopping for other people...oops!  It felt incredibly warm, which is exactly what I NEED! Mom, I think I am an XS...hehehe.

6. This one is a biggie.  A new LAPTOP & PRINTER- I don't have pictures this time, because I'm not exactly sure which brands & models I'd like to go for.  My laptop is falling apart, literally.  A couple weeks ago, the plastic piece above the function keys started to pop up because the screws holding it in place are completely worn out.  Now, each time I tilt my screen, the plastic pops up and down. Aside from that, my computer has been slower than ever.  Especially PowerPoint, which is the program I mainly use nowadays as I'm creating TpT products.  My computer constantly overheats, and always shuts down a few minutes into any sort of video.  The keyboard mouse no longer works, and the battery is completely dead, so my laptop must always be plugged in.  The power cord is fraying, and I honestly am afraid it will set fire to my computer, even though Sam insists it could never produce enough heat.  As far as my printer goes, the print quality has decreased drastically over the MANY years I have owned it.  Both pieces have lasted quite a while, and I am thankful they have held up for so long! Thanks for letting me vent about my technology issues.

7.  My biggest wish of all is for my family, friends, and all of their loved ones to have a safe, healthy, and happy 2014.  I love you all so much!

Now, Fabulous Friends, Family & Followers, what is on YOUR WISH LIST this year? 

Happy Beginning of the Holiday Season, everyone!  Enjoy your Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping!

XO <3, C

 

I'm Still Alive!

Hey everyone,

I've been wanting to post something new for a while now, but miraculously I been SO BUSY!  It's hard to imagine how busy I am considering I'm not working full time, but there hasn't been a dull moment around here in a while!  There is too much going on to explain everything in full detail, so instead I'd like to make a list to recap the past month:

-I have been subbing a fair amount.  Usually 2-3 times a week.  I typically go to the same PK-2nd grade school, and I am really loving it there.  I feel like I've been there enough to now feel comfortable in the building and with knowing my way around.  Most of the children recognize me, know my name (or some version of it, hehe), and say hi to me when passing by.  I have learned many teachers' names, where their classrooms are, and some of the routines and procedures of the school.  I am starting to feeling at home there, and I am incredibly thankful for that!

-A few weeks ago, I hosted a Stella & Dot trunk show party.  I was a bit apprehensive about this because I didn't want any of my invitees to feel they were being conned into purchasing jewelry.  I thought the party would be something to look forward to and keep me busy since about a month ago I was feeling bored and lonely. 

I'd say the party was a success!  A small group of friends attended, and it was nice to have a relaxing "Girls Night In" filled with yummy appetizers, a wine cocktail, and fabulous jewelry!  The S&D stylist who attended the party is super nice, and because of her, I am now thinking about joining her team and becoming a stylist  myself.  If all goes as planned, I would consider registering and hopefully hosting my own trunk shows this spring after returning from California.  Hopefully, my very good friend, K, and I will find a way to embark on the S&D endeavor together, although we're not sure it is possible to sign  up as a twosome.  Wish us luck, and let us know if you want to host a trunk show!  We need some very kind and thoughtful friends and family members to help us launch our "store"...hint..hint.. ;-)

a. Bardot Hoop Earrings, b. Eden Bangle, c. Janie Flower Studs, d. Garden Party Chandelier Earrings

Above you will see my Stella & Dot purchases.  Well, I guess they aren't technically considered purchases because I received them for free thanks to all of the points I earned from my friends' purchases!  Thank you, friends!  I did receive a couple other pieces for free as well, but those ones are gifts for certain special people. :)

-The night of my jewelry party I decided we absolutely MUST paint out kitchen.  The house was almost immaculate at that point.  Every room had been dusted, vacuumed, scrubbed, and organized for the trunk show, and less than 12 hours later, the whole house was torn apart.  Yup, the following day Sam agreed to my idea, and we started knocking down beams and tearing bead-board down! I have to admit, the demolition phase was the best part!

Since then, we have been busily at work, in a complete rush to finish the job since we are hosting Thanksgiving in 2 days! EEEEk!  Luckily, we FINALLY completed our 2nd coat of paint on the walls last night, and boy, do I feel RELIEVED!  If anyone saw my Facebook status the other night, you know how incredibly overwhelmed and frustrated I was!  I plan on doing another blog post soon once all of the final details are complete, so you can see our kitchen's transformation.  Until then, the only other piece of info I'd like to add is I ADORE our new kitchen wall color!  Any guesses on the shade we chose?

-The weekend after the S&D party, Sam & I joined our friend, M, and several other friends on a private tour of Flag Hill Winery, and it was AMAZING!  I've been there a couple times before, each time learning and picking up on new information about the wine-making process.  This time, we had the opportunity to wine taste in a room all to ourselves!  We were given a checklist of the wines, spirits, and liqueurs we were able to try so we could take notes as we went.  My new favorite (still second to the Apple Cranberry Fruit Wine) is the Red Plum Fruit Wine.  So sweet, incredible, and delicious, people!!! Too bad it's seasonal only. :(

-My last new bit of information is I signed up for and began YOGA!  I thought about trying yoga for a long time, but never felt comfortable going ahead with it as I hate trying new things on my own.  Recently, my tension headaches came back with a vengeance! Out of nowhere, I was clenching my jaw every day, all day, even in my sleep.  My head, jaw, and neck, throbbed for almost a month straight, when I finally decided enough is enough! I forced myself to go to yoga all alone and discovered I really enjoy it (so far at least).  In fact, going on my own wasn't a big deal in the least bit!  It gets better though, after trying out a couple classes I discovered a friend of mine, L, was also looking for someone to go to yoga with!  PERFECT!  Hopefully we can keep it up together. :)

Adios chicos and Happy Thanksgiving!

XO <3, C

P.S. My tension headaches disappeared after the 2nd yoga class! :)

Gobble Gobble!

Okay, okay, we may not have even celebrated Halloween yet, but just like all the retail stores out there, I'd like to hop on the Thanksgiving bandwagon!  November 1st is only a week away, which means I need to start planning my Thanksgiving dinner.  This year is a special one, and should be interesting, because for the first time yet, I'll be hosting a family get-together and serving a FEAST!  ...Scary!  So far I know my mom is going to bring gravy, mashed potatoes, her delicious sweet potato casserole with the brown sugar crunchy topping (my FAVORITE!), and Swedish apple pie.  YUM!  Sam and I will take care of the turkey, and Sam is hoping his mom will make her pumpkin pie, but ...well, the rest has yet to be decided.  I'm starting to get some great ideas from good ol' Pinterest!

Lemony Green Beans- GB tossed with olive oil, lemon juice & rind, onions, and basil

Glazed Butternut Squash- Cooked in apple cider! Mmmm!

Cornbread Stuffing

 Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting- I know, RIDICULOUS!

White Autumn Spice Sangria

Everything looks TOO GOOD!

I also have been starting to get my act together with Thanksgiving TpT projects/activities. I just finished my first one, called Invite a Pilgrim to Thanksgiving Dinner, which is a creative and persuasive writing project meant for 3rd-6th graders. 

The basic premise of the project is students need to write a persuasive letter inviting a Plimoth Plantation Pilgrim who has time-traveled to the present to their family's Thanksgiving Dinner.  To do this, kiddos need to research The First Thanksgiving.

They will record their findings on the graphic organizer above.  Next, they will fill out a similar GO on their own family's Thanksgiving traditions, and then use a Venn diagram to compare their traditions to The First Thanksgiving.  

After a lot of preliminary work, students will examine and discuss the above example persuasive letter, and eventually write their own.  They will focus on the friendly letter format, writing an introduction to a letter/invitation, using persuasive language, comparing/contrasting, and writing a conclusion. They will be writing across many genres all the while letting their creative juices flow!

This product comes with teacher directions, objective/goal posters written in student-friendly language, vocabulary posters, a scoring rubric, an editing/revising checklist, and final draft paper. 

For the culminating activity, students will create a paper plate turkey invitation to go along with their persuasive letter. Don't you love him?!

Check out my Invite a Pilgrim to Thanksgiving Dinner Project and Craftivity here at TpT!  I hope you enjoy it!

Best Wishes for the week ahead!

XO <3, C