Ahh summer break

I just love summer. 

Here in Australia we are in the middle of our summer break and it would be great if it lasted forever!

I have had a great Christmas with family on the Gold Coast and now I am back home in Victoria and doing a little bit of TPT, doing a little bit for my classroom, doing lots with my family and friends. 

 This is my parents with all their grandkids and Dad with three of his four grandsons.

This is my Mum and Dad with all four of their 'kids'. I took my son and two nephews out for breakfast one morning. Family is a treasured place to be!

Byron Bay - just love it there.

My sister Leanne and I went out for dinner on New Year .

I thought I would just share some of my resources that you might like to check out.

Depending on where you are in the world  -

        

    

     

Keep safe in all the snow my USA readers and be sun safe in Aus!

My holiday job list...

Today, in our state we start a two week break. 

For us it is winter break and the forecast looks terrible.

We have huge winds and rain coming our way. 

So what is on the horizon? This is the first break in a while that we are not traveling anywhere and our plan is to do some stuff around the house. 

I am hoping to get my phonics work completed, do a unit on biological science, finish my 'GOLD' unit and maybe start some of my Nursery Rhyme projects, mmmmmmmmmmmmm wonder how that will go?

Here is my first Phonic Bundle and I have grouped them so that once these 6 letters/sounds are known, you can make many words with them.

S-A-T-P-I-N - how many can you make?

I have put them all in one bundle - click here or on the image below

You can purchase each letter/sound separately. 

You can click on the individual images for individual letter/sound packs

Each set has three posters, a series of sound cards to use for tasks, print and go tasks and a small reader that reinforces sight words as well a the letter/sound.

These are also individual packs, but not yet in bundles

I only have h, r, m, o, u, l, f, j, z, w, v, y, x and qu!

Holidays are almost here

This post is about our School Christmas Fair and at the end a link to my store to see my Christmas/Holiday and seasonal units which will help you to get through this season. 

Our annual School Fair is about our kids making products. learning about money, giving change and selling.

My Preps made these gorgeous tree toppers - which could also be placed anywhere on the tree for 10c. The fair is designed for our kids and while parents come - it is for our kids.

The children man the stalls and have heaps of fun. They bring coins to spend and the atmosphere is lovely. 

There was reindeer food, keys for Santa in case you have no chimney, key rings, cards and heaps more all made by our kids.

These products will help you get through the next few weeks - there are a few freebies here too

Click the image or click here to go to my store 

Stop and smell the roses

I send a massive thank you to all my blog and facebook visitors this past week. You have helped to make my 1 year blogversary very special. I hope you enjoyed downloading your freebies every day for the past week.

In Victoria, Australia we have been on  holidays and I can truthfully say I have gorgeously wasted a few days. Sleep ins and just relaxing at home. Not leaving the house unless I really have to.

I went to drop off my teenage daughter at the movies and when I came back I noticed the first two roses for the year.

This reminded me of a time that feels so long ago, but has gone in a blink -  when I was pregnant with our son - 18+ years ago.

I was going to have a check up with the midwife and noticed some glorious roses outside the hospital.

I stopped and smelt them - they had such a lovely scent.

A woman asked me if I was okay as I was talking to myself.

Well I wasn't talking to myself but to my unborn baby about the roses, taking life as it came and enjoying all the little things.

As I think back - have I taken my own advice? Sometimes......

So when I noticed these roses and my two days of nothing - I thought what the heck I deserve a break.

So tomorrow - life kicks back in with dentist, friends for lunch, coffee, time with my husband (he is a teacher as well) and our teenagers and all that lovely holiday stuff.

Getting ready for work

Late night flight back from Bali and trying to keep awake so I can get a proper night sleep tonight and get back into a routine for the start of school on Monday. I have some serious holiday brain and I am so glad we have planned for the next two weeks.
Before the holidays the Prep team had the planning all ready to go. Jan and I have planned Maths and Discovery Learning for two weeks and Pascale and Chrissy have reading and writing under control. With me away and Chrissy in Europe we needed to make sure we were ready. So I hope that Jan and Pascale have been able to have a restful break as well.
So a trip into work for about an hour to make sure the take home books are updated and ready to go, check that the tables and chairs are right and all will be good to go.
I can't wait to see my Preps, they change a fair bit over the Easter break and come in ready to continue with some serious learning.
I also have another batch of netbooks arriving for our Year 3-6's and with the help of our techs will have these ready to go out for parent leasing by the end of the first week back. There will be some excited students waiting for these.