Snow Day and a FREEBIE!

Last Monday it was snowy here in Anchorage and as I left for work I didn't think anything of it.  But as soon as I crossed an intersection that was a mile from my school it became stand-still traffic and it took us an hour to get to school.  Luckily my kids had art first thing and there were only 6 of them.  

Fast forward to TODAY: It snowed like crazy in only a few short hours, but I did not think school would be cancelled.  First I got a call saying there was a 2-hour delay in effect (never had that happen in my 12 years here).  Then, 10 minutes away from leaving the house with my kids, another call announced that school was now cancelled.

I'm glad the district erred on the side of caution this time.  So we immediately got into comfy clothes and started playing.  The sun came out too and it was beautiful!  We went for a walk, me pulling them in the sled, and delivered some freshly baked cookies to some friends in the neighborhood....that was awesome!

Also awesome was that I was able to get some work done and finished a project I've been wanting to whip up for a few weeks and you can get it for free here!

Trick or Treat in the Heat & An Opportunity for You

Halloween comes early up in Anchorage thanks to something called 

What's even better is that it's a charity event to support children with cancer.  Get out your Kleenex....a little boy named Ian Robbins had cancer several years ago and his last wish was to go Trick or Treating before he died.  So his entire neighborhood (which now we're a part of) banded together and pretended it was Halloween in August.  He donned a Buzz Lightyear costume and his wish came true.  Sadly he died shortly thereafter.

But that sadness has now been turned into joy, excitement and awareness.  Four neighborhoods in the Anchorage area now participate.  And it's especially poignant this year because a fellow teacher's son is battling cancer right now down in Seattle and proceeds are going to him and his family.  

We moved into this neighborhood a year ago, after having participated the prior year and I was THRILLED to be part of everything!  So this year, with my daughter being obsessed with FROZEN, I decided to "Go big or go home!" -my motto.  Saturday night I created Elsa's ice palace in my garage while rocking out to 80's music...and I didn't even get any paint on my husband's car :-)

The next day I set up the palace and a beautiful snowflake laden runner in the air above our porch sidewalk.  My daughter dressed up as, of course, Elsa and I was Anna.  I had a BLAST handing out candy to many kids....many of whom were Elsa as well!  My husband (The Man in the Yellow Hat) took the kids (Curious George and Elsa) out Trick-or-Treating while I held down the palace.

I can't wait to do this again in October...but there'll more likely be real snow and ice by then. Elsa will be thrilled!

Now, onto an opportunity for YOU!

If any of you teachers out there create teaching resources and post them to sites like TPT or TN and are interested in another outlet, I have the good fortune to be part of a new teacher resource website (not my creation, the owners contacted me). Please e-mail me at firstgradebloom@gmail.com for the details but the incentive is that you: will be paid $50 just for posting some of your teaching products and if you are one of the first five to participate, you will be paid $75. The owner took the time to call me and walk me through the process personally, which I was very impressed by. He's also been great with any feedback and suggestions I have for the site.  It's been a fun opportunity!

 Let me know if you're interested 

Happy Belated Halloween!

Halloween was last Thursday but better late than never!

We started our day with our annual 'Pumpkin Math' event.  Students worked their way through nine different stations, all while wearing jammies!

Estimating the weight of  a pumpkin.

Spider Headbands

Balancing a pumpkin with rocks.

Pin the Nose on the Jack 'O Lantern

Pattern Bracelets

Then we worked on our Halloween Fun Packets

We also read 'Pumpkin Heads' by Wendell Minor and sponge painted our own Pumpkin Heads.

Even though Halloween is over, I'm still looking forward to pumpkin pie!

Trick -or- Treat in the Heat!

Halloween is 53 days away, but here in Anchorage we get ours a little early!

Several years ago, a caring neighborhood banded together to give a terminally-ill 5-year-old something he loved before he died.  This act touched so many that it's now a yearly tradition.  There are now 4 neighborhoods in the Anchorage area that participate and kids simply buy a $10 wristband to participate.  All proceeds go to charity and this year there were 3 different charities that benefitted.

We recently moved into a new house, in one of the participating neighborhoods, so we got to get in the spirit and hand out candy!  My daughter and I decorated our porch and driveway and then the kids and I dressed up as pirates and hit the pavement.

But just as the festivities began....it started to RAIN!  We've had rain for more than a month straight but it was sunny and dry all day, so I thought it would be Trick -or- Treat in the HEAT....but it turned out to the Trick -or- Treat in the RAIN & WIND!  Both kids were troopers but we were soaking, cold and tired and didn't last very long.  But the underlying cause made everything worth it and I'm proud to be part of this neighborhood community!

Even though there are still 53 more days until Halloween, you might be an early planner or on the prowl for some Halloween fun now.  If so, you can check out:

Happy Halloween!

Halloweeeeeeeen!

Seven weeks ago I reported back to school on the first inservice day for teachers.  I was 9 months pregnant and, oddly, felt great that day.  The next morning I woke up and went to get ready for work again when my water broke!  9 hours later I was holding my son and I haven't been back to work since.  I have about 1.5 weeks left of my maternity leave and then I'm back in the saddle again.  I'm excited and nervous and have been living in a bubble since the beginning of the school year, just staying at home taking care of my 4-year-old and new baby.

So what does this post have to do with Halloween you ask?  Well since I've been in my bubble I haven't really felt like Halloween is coming up.  But now I'm seeing pumpkins in the grocery stores and some decorations on houses in the neighborhood.  That reminded me of my Halloween packet and I wanted to jazz it up and make it even better because I'll be back in the classroom for Halloween this year.  So go on over to my TPT shop and download a preview.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mrs-Locke