Next stop: Polka Dot Paradise! :-)

I sat down to type out this blog post and am realizing that it's August 3rd already! How in the world did THAT happen? Time just flies on by when you're having fun! I don't know about all of you, but this summer feels like it's been crazy! Maybe it's because I have two VERY busy little boys that require my attention 24/7. My "A-Type" personality and I clashed a little this summer as I tried to plan out activities for all of us. Here are some things I learned: You can't always ::plan:: when you have a 2.5 and 4.5 year old. You don't ALWAYS have to leave the house to have fun. Pinterest projects take 2 hours to assemble (not counting the time spent driving to the store to accumulate the supplies) and they only last for about 10 minutes (if I'm lucky) of simulation. I get more excited to try out activities than my boys do. I've never been a stay at home and just hang out type of person so I have now passed that onto my boys! They're always asking what our next adventure will be. We've had a super fun summer, but to be honest with you, I'm ready for a steady routine again. This "waking up with the crickets and immediately forming a plan on the fly" stuff just isn't cutting it for me!

By the 6th week of summer break, I had the boys enrolled into summer camp at their pre-school twice a week. Two reasons I did this: 1.) To allow them to play with their friends in a familiar environment, and somewhat keep up with their routine, 2.) To allow myself the uninterrupted time in my new classroom to set it all up and CLEAN! I've become a hoarder of "stuff" and it was finally time to part with it. Like all teachers, I walk through any given store, spot some random, off the wall item and immediately think: "OMG, this would be AWESOME in the my classroom for ____" What I've learned is that I spend the money, and then forget I have it, or don't think about this item when I'm searching for ideas, and thus, I accumulate 12 baskets, 34 organizers, 6 trays of various sizes and shapes, and 9 ice cube trays.  So now my wardrobes are cleaned out, the bags have been delivered to Goodwill, and I even started a stash of stuff for my little sister to use one day in her own classroom! It feels good to be able to open my wardrobe and not have to immediately put my arms up for cover to defend myself from any of those things I listed above falling on me! :-)

Onto the fun stuff! Summer camp ended this week for my little guys so I was trying my best to get my room all ready and I think I can finally say "It's done!". I still have some things here and there to add/fix/change, but for now, this is good enough. I stuck with my colorful polka dot theme again this year but I modified, upgraded and changed several things! Here are some pictures of my new room:

This is what you see right when you walk in: 

 This is my latest project, my student of the week board!

 This one is one of my favorites, my writing center board! Since Cindy and I posted pictures of our rooms, we've had TONS of inquiries on the posters and things you see on the wall! I can't take credit for any of these fabulous resources, but I also won't leave you hanging! The Writer's Eye came from one of our favorite bloggers, Cara Caroll:
http://thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.com/2011/08/free-for-all-friday.html
The "What do Writer's Write? pencil you see came from another one of our favorite bloggers, Lindsey, at The Teacher Wife:
http://theteacherwife.blogspot.com/2011/10/what-do-writers-write.html

 My Word Wall (after posting this, I realize that I need to straighten out some of the cards, haha)

 My Daily 5 Board

 My calendar board (below the board is where student work will hang)

 My behavior management board (also known as the doors to my wardrobe that I decorated!)

 Parent Praises (also on a decorated wardrobe)

 My Math/Daily 5 boards together

 View of the front of my room

 My small group/reading/my desk area

 My "Reading Spot" library. Once I move those chairs over, all of this will shift more to the left so it doesn't look so crammed together!

And that's all for now! The majority of the posters/things on the wall were all handmade (well, computer made, but designed) by ME! Like I mentioned before, I still have things to fix, add, and change here and there but for now, this room is good enough for me! Time to get back to the chaos and chores calling my name around the house! Hope you are all enjoying your summer and if there is something in particular you are interested in, hop on over to our TPT store or Teacher's Notebook, or shoot me a comment or email! I would love to help! :-)