Dare to Dream

I am linking up with the #tptsellerchallenge to share my dreams. I thought I would start off this challenge by telling you how I got started on TPT. 

In the Winter of 2011 my then boyfriend (now husband) and I traveled to Vegas with my family for New Years. While we were there we talked about our New Years Resolutions and our goals for the upcoming year. 

I would be willing to bet that we made resolutions about working out and being awesome. But he also encouraged me to start a Teachers Pay Teachers store by the end of the year. I made an empty promise and thought he would let it go. That was my first mistake. He asked me everyday for almost exactly 2 months if I had started my store.Finally I caved and opened my store in the middle of March with one product. Then we promptly left on our Spring Break Vacation in Chicago. 

On the first day of our vacation while standing in our hotel room I got an email saying I had sold my first product. My store had been open for about a week. We were both beyond shocked. That was the best $3.00 I had ever made. For the next 6 months every single time I got a product sold email I sent a text to my husband. 

Teachers Pay Teachers has blessed us with so much. We purchased out dream home, went on an amazing Honeymoon and I completed my masters with no debt because of TPT.

My biggest dream for TPT is to continue to inspire others while being inspired by others. We also want to add a pool to our house this year and travel with our family of 3 once Trey is big enough!

If you are thinking about making a store... do it today. I would have never done it if my husband didn't ask everyday for 2 months. 

Five For Friday 6.26.14 & A FREEBIE

I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday! Here is a peek into my week!

This is how my week started off. A flat tire and a baby who needs to get to the sitter so I can get to professional development is no fun. You should know I managed to get the tire and the jack out of my trunk. Then I quickly realized I did not know how to do anything else. Luckily my neighbor and husband came to the rescue.

This week is my third official week of summer. So far I have spent the majority of my days in trainings. This week I spent 3 days at Thinking Maps. It was awesome. 

 

This week my dad had a minor surgery. I went with my mom to wait at the hospital until we heard from the doctor. If time passes slowly anywhere it is in the waiting room of the hospital. The waiting room was supplied with cards so my mom taught me how to play rummy (I think that was the name?) and I won! Luckily my dad is well and the surgery was a success!

Before I tell you about the best thing ever, you should know I am not trying to sell you anything. I just genuinely think you need to know about this amazing thing my sister found! You have heard of Stitch Fix, right? I don't get my own Fixes but I do stalk an online group that sells some of the clothes they don't keep... and I may have numerous things in my closet that came from other people's Fixes. 

But... do you know about Golden Tote?! The link is to my sister's referral code because I did not get a tote yet! I have no clue what she gets if she refers people. Use her code or don't the point is just get a tote!

This fabulous tote was sitting on my parent's door step when we got home from the hospital and my sister is on her way out of town for a week! So the insanely jealous loving sister that I am offered to open her tote. 

The beauty that was inside was shocking. Her tote was awesome. Which is good because its an all or nothing deal-- $150 for 6 items, 2 you pick, and 4 surprises.

 EVERY. SINGLE. THING. in that tote was fabulous.

 I even tried some of it on and sent her pictures. How nice am I?

Needless to say, I will be convincing my husband of all the reasons why I NEED a July tote.

I have been working a bit on TPT and I realized I haven't uploaded a FREEBIE for a while. I figured what better way then to thank you for still reading this blog then to put up a limited time freebie!

This FREEBIE is the cutest decor for your Back to School Open House Donation Door!

Writing Portfolios

I won't say I am back because I have said that before. But I am trying a new thing... blogging on the iPad. I am hoping that by iPad blogging I won't have to be so connected to the computer and I can blog on the "go."

Because that's life these day... on the go. This sweet boy although not literally moving around makes life busier-- in the best way possible.

Planning for the upcoming year is always one of my favorite things. As I look ahead to things I like, things I want to continue, and things that need to be changed, one thing I ALWAYS do with each class is a Writing Portfolio. In kinder world-- a progress journal.

Nothing makes my heart happier then flipping through a writing portfolio and seeing the progress a kinder kid makes from the first day to the last.

 

These writing portfolios are so much fun and such a huge talking point for conferences. Grab my writing portfolio pages for $2.50 cents or just grab some writing paper and create your own! I also attached my monthly journal covers if your students do journals each month!