It is currently almost January and almost the new year!  Wow, this year blew by for me!  I'm linking up with the fantastic Farley from Oh' Boy Third Grade to share my currently for the month of January.

Listening - I'm so blessed to have two boys that love to play together!  They are a week shy of being exactly two years apart.  Right now they are playing with their new Ninja Turtles that Santa brought.  They LOVE Ninja Turtles!

Loving - I live in Texas, so it hardly ever gets cold but today it is 45 degrees and I LOVE it!

Thinking - I've been going to Jazzercise and I love it but the last few days the late classes have been canceled because of the holidays.  I need to make a schedule and attend classes regularly in the new year!

Wanting - My husband actually just got home as I was typing up this post!  Now our new year celebration can begin!

Needing - I really need to do some organizing around the house.  I still have clothes in drawers that don't fit the boys anymore.  Hopefully the new year will motivate me to get it done.

Yes - I do need to lose weight and be consistent about it.  I do really well for a long time and then I eat horribly for a week or so and all my hard work goes down the drain.  No excuses this year!

Maybe - I'm a HUGE worrier!  I worry about everything and I worry all the time!  Maybe this will be the year that I stop.

I Wish - This break has gone by so quick and I only have a few more days left.  I love spending time with my boys (my husband is included in that) and I try to savor all of the free time I get with them.

See you guys next year :)....

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Stephanie

Is it really almost 2015?  I'm finding it hard to believe that half of the school year is already over!  As a teacher, I love setting goals and even better meeting those goals!  Today, I'm linking up with my new friend Stephanie from Mrs. D's Corner to share my New Year, New Goals for 2015.

Personal - I started my weight loss journey last January and then I started attending Jazzercise pretty regularly in August.  I'd been doing pretty good, and then November came.  I totally have been regretting my food decisions and my lack of attending Jazzercise.  My goal is to make a schedule and stick to it!  I also need to start meal planning again.

Professional -  I took a huge break from TpT at the beginning of the school year, and I noticed I hadn't created very much.  Over the last few weeks, I've been creating a lot and it feels so good.  Right now, my goal is to start with more reading comprehension packs.  I would love to structure them with close reading in mind, because I'm always looking for more ways to have my kids respond to the texts that they read.

Planning - My goal for the second half of this school year is to work on planning out my math small group instruction and what I need to re-teach my students.  I have two groups for math, and I want to be more planful...(totally made up that word) when it comes to my small groups.  I want to really hit them hard when I get back in January to get them ready for third grade!

Organization - My station tubs are a mess!  They need some organizational love and some new activities!

Students - Since I love setting goals, I want to have my students set their own reading and writing goals.  Of course I will need to guide them in setting their goals, but I know it will be more meaningful for them when they meet the goals that they set for themselves.

Motto - I shared this motto with my kids at the beginning of the school year and I plan on sticking to it!  There isn't anything that you can't do if you word hard to achieve it.

Make sure you click on the button above to head over to Mrs. D's Corner to check out some of the other teacher blogger goals and then link up with your own goals for the new year.

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Stephanie

I am linking up with The Elementary Entourage to bring you a special present from your Secret Santa.....me!!

Before I reveal my present to you guys, let's look at a few clues.

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>>  Did you guess what your present is?

If you guessed a Read and Respond Flap Journal for The Mitten, then you are RIGHT!!

Click on the product cover below to grab your freebie.

Now, make sure you click on the button below to hop back over to the Elementary Entourage blog to grab some more freebies.

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Stephanie

Today is my birthday y'all!!  But...today I'm letting you guys unwrap a special gift from me!!

It's such a busy time of year and I know that saving any bit of time is so appreciated!  Right now, I'm loving the no-prep/easy print reading activities for my kids.

Imagine me singing...ok nevermind!  Imagine Meghan Trainor singing!

Because you know I'm all about no-prep, 
easy printing, save your color!
I'm all about no-prep, easy printing, save your color!
I'm all about no-prep, easy printing, save your color!
I'm all about no-prep, easy printing, save your color!

I'm bringing black and white!
Go ahead and tell all the busy teachers that!
I'm not kidding!
I know you think your stressed.
But I'm here to tell you,
All you you need to do is hit print and sit back and relax a bit.

Now, let's unwrap your gift!

I don't know about you but my kids can always use more practice responding to a text.  My kids love all things about animals and they fell in love with the arctic fox.  They thought it was so interesting that their fur is brown in the summer and white in the winter.  One of my students asked if she could color her arctic fox.  This is what she turned in.

My kids complete these texts as one of our reading stations.  They find a quiet spot in the room and read the text at least two times before they start the response questions.  This last week, we worked on the main idea.  This was perfect for them to get that extra practice.

I hope you enjoyed unwrapping your gift from me!  Click on the product cover below to grab your gift.

If you LOVED this sample pack and want to check out some more easy printing informational texts, you can find them HERE.  This pack will be growing and I will be adding 5 more animals this weekend.  I'm adding a polar bear, orca whale, snowy owl, penguin, and a walrus.  This weekend only, it will be on sale for $2.  Grab it now before the price goes up and you will be able to re-download it after I add the new animals.  Click on the product cover below to put it in your cart.

Also, make sure you check out my Facebook page later today for a birthday giveaway from me!

We have even more bloggers who are ready to share an amazing gift with you!  Check them out by clicking HERE or by clicking on the button below.

Happy unwrapping!

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Stephanie

Yay!  I finally made the first page of Farley's currently link up.  I normally don't link up till the second or third day but since I'm home with a scratched cornea, I figured I could sneak in a few minutes of computer time to link up :).  Don't tell my husband!

Listening - Both of my sweet boys are super congested, so they are staying home with me today.  They are watching their new favorite cartoon Blaze and the Monster Machines.

Loving - I love the Christmas season!  I am super blessed and thankful to have two little boys!  I have to stop myself during the busy-ness that the season brings to thank God for his many blessings.

Thinking - I'm so behind in school work and TpT work, but my eye needs to rest today.

Wanting and Needing - After this post, I really need to rest my eye so that it can heal.

Giving - I love giving out freebies.  My kids still need to practice 3-digit subtraction with regrouping, so I thought this Christmas themed freebie would be great practice for so many kiddos.  Click on the product cover below to grab this freebie.

Now, time to rest my eye :).

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Stephanie