What happens in Vegas.... CAN'T stay in Vegas! I gotta' share!!!

Oh, Friends.... This week in Vegas has been incredible!   I've been soooo busy, I haven't had much time to put up many posts!   I have soooo much to share with you!  There is NO WAY I can share everything I want to tell you in one post.  Seriously... it's gonna take the rest of the summer to get out all these tid-bits without overwhelming you!!!   {I'm about bursting at the seams to share all the AWESOME "techie" stuff I learned today!  Seriously....  life changin' -- at least in terms of teaching!}  The techie-tips will have to wait a few days...but check back because I assure you it will be WELL worth the wait!

For now... I just HAVE to share some "beginning of the week" highlights from the "I Teach K" conference! First off, I should tell you that prior to coming to Vegas all of the "kinder-bloggers" were invited to attend a Teacher/Blogger Vegas "Meet-Up."  I RSVP'ed {<--Is that a word?!  Hee!} like a good little blogger via a specially designated FaceBook group... and also began chatting a bit with others that were going to attend.   A few of us were traveling alone and we decided we should do a "PRE" Meet-Up--Meet Up!    We met for dinner on Sunday night at the Grand Luxe Cafe in the Venetian Hotel.   We were quite the WORLD-WIDE blogging group!

From left to right:  Amy from Texas{TeachingInBlueJeans.blogspot.com}, L.C. from Germany{TheBeezyTeacher.blogspot.com}, Michelle {JourneyIntoTK.blogspot.com} and Tracy {Mrs.BlackledgesClass.blogspot.com} from North Carolina, Susan {TeachingDoodles.blogspot.com} from the United Arab Emirates, Elizabeth {Kickin' It In Kindergarten} and lil' ole me, Holly {well... if you are reading this you know my blog! lol}

These gals are the greatest!  Seriously... so very, very sweet!  Some have been blogging for a while... and others have just started, but if you have the chance... you should definitely check them out!   Such incredible hearts... and each of them are "real," very down to earth, amazing teachers who love to share ideas and resources!  And isn't that what bloggin' is all about?!

Well... as I mentioned, we did have an AWESOME 

Teacher/Blogger Meet -Up.  

SO FUN!  Seriously...I would have traveled all the way to Vegas for the meet-up alone and it would have been well worth it!  Take a peek at some of the fun!  

Do I even have to write a caption for this one???

Yes... It's the incredibly beautiful Deanna Jump.  THE legend of TPT. 

Ya just gotta love her!  So super-super sweet and caring.  

{And we both feel tall when we stand together!  Hee!}

Hangin' with my buddy, Tad Hill... 

{Author of Rocket Learns to Read and many, many more great k-kiddo books!}  Oh my gosh... He is hilarious.  All I gotta say is that you will have to check out Michelle's blog (see first picture caption in this posting) in a few days to check out some hilarious pics from our... well, let's just say group chat with Tad. I'm sure she will post them! And for goodness sake... If you don't have Rocket Learns to Read and Rocket Learns to Write, GO OUT AND GET THOSE BOOKS NOW!  The kiddos LUV them.. and they are absolutely PERFECT for introducing guided reading and writer's workshop!   Seriously... my FAV books of the year!!!  

Hunk-A-Hunk-A-Burnin' Love!!!

Here we are {Me and Amy from TeachingInBlueJeans.blogspot.com}...with "The King!"   

{Ok.. is it just me or does Elvis look like he might need to use the restroom... or change his pants?! Bahaha!}

Now here I am with "The Queen!"  Hee!

Seriously... Dee Dee Wills IS like the queen to me!

I absolutely, positively LOVE this lady! She makes me a better teacher!

So. Inspiring. 

The beautiful and talented Kathleen Pedersen {Growing Kinders} is the most genuinely warm, and sweet SUPER-BLOGGER you will ever meet.  I sincerely admire her so very much!  She has got to be one of my teaching "soul-mates"... as if every resource she creates and blog post she writes were written just for me.  Hee!  Hee!  I seriously love this girl! Her creativity is out of this world.  Show her an odd shaped container and BAM! She can make a new kinder-game out of it in 2 seconds flat! :)

And Finally... Check out this group of IN-CREDIBLE LADIES!!!

What a super-savvy group of teacher-bloggers!

Thank you to you ALL... You all inspire me!

RaNdOm FUN PiCs FrOm ThE NiGhT......

Alessia Albanese and Deedee Wills

You have changed my "center" life!  Lol

Group shot!

Elvis isn't the only GREAT one!  

These teacher-bloggers ROCK!

Our gracious hostesses for the night!

The sweetest trio in the world!

Rachelle and Natalie {What the Teacher Wants} & Deanna {Mrs. Jump's Class}

Even John and Amy, the "Big Wigs" from TPT were there!

Thank you for supporting teachers!

{Thank you to Rachelle and Natalie for sharing these last few meet-up pics!  Check out www.WhatTheTeacherWants.blogspot.com for more great 2013 Vegas Meet-Up pics!}

More Vegas fun and learning resources to come!  Stay tuned!!!

I'm in VEGAS!!! "I Teach K" here I come!

I made it!  I'm sitting in my oh-so-plush hotel suite at the Venetian writing this post!  Seriously, these beds are AwEsOmE!   If you have never been to the Venetian or Palazzo...just take a look at the rooms.  

They are HUGE... and BEAUTIFUL!   Yep, that's right!  Two SwEeT double beds {Have I told you already how incredible the beds are!?  Can I fit that comforter into my suitcase???  Hmmm...}, a giant luxurious bathroom with separate toilet room, and a sunken living room.   Last time I stayed here I had just won a $25,000 grant from Pepsi for my classroom and I brought my whole kinder-team {aides & volunteers}to the conference.   All five us stayed in one room and it was plenty big!   We had the best "slumber party" week ever!  (And learned a TON too!)  Not to mention Pepsi was footing the bill!   Gotta love that!   It's not every day someone gives you $25,000 to re-create your classroom!!!

This is a picture I took INSIDE the Venetian hotel!  YES!  I said INSIDE!

The lower levels of the hotel are filled with swanky shops... AND a canal complete with gondolas and "gondala guys"  (what are they REALLY called??) who sing Italian songs at the top of their lungs! Hee!

 This is me by the Bellagio fountains.

The weather is great... HOT... but great.   They have the nearby wildfire mostly contained and the rains from last week have really subdued the smoke, so that has not been a problem at all.  It is not humid at all... so that makes the heat MUCH more bearable!  Actually, the only time the heat bothered me yesterday was when we were walking the strip.  The pools were PACKED though!  I considered laying out a bit....but when I surveyed the scene and saw every Venetian and Palazzo pool packed like sardines... I decided I may need a a day or two to acclimate to the masses before I dive in to steal a chair or corner of the pool!

This is a picture from my hotel room window.  I took it at 3:40 AM Vegas Time.   Ya see... that is 6:40 AM Indiana time!  That's my natural wake up time...and my body hasn't adjusted to the jet lag yet!   I just had to snap that pic and send it to my hubby back at home with the kiddos.  {I'm sure he was up at that time letting our dear sweet Border Collie out for the morning.  Bet my hubby was LoViNg that!  NOT!}  And did I mention that all of my kiddos 4Hh projects are due this week while I'm gone too?   We shall see how the Mr. Spouse deals with that.   LoL     I think it will do him good to experience a week as "mom!"  He's been sending me lots of "Love U" and "Miss U" texts already.  Just wait til Friday!  Ha-Ha!

Ok... Ok... Back to teaching-related STUFF....   I'm looking forward to registering today and "organizing" my agendas for the week.  <-- I know, what a nerd!?  Right!   Hee!  I know many, many of my "Bloggin' Buddies" are flying in today too!   Can't wait to meet them!   I'm sure I'll have many stories to tell...and many new BLOGs to introduce to you!  I've got my iPhone charging as we speak to ensure some great pics!   I'm meeting up with DeeDee Wills, Deanna Jump, Kim Adsit, Kathleen Pedersen and MANY, MANY more of the "Blogging Greats" on Tuesday night!  Can't wait to share our adventures!   Blessings to you on this Sunday!

Sunday Smorgasbord!

Well... It's Sunday.  You know... the day that "Sunday Night Nervous Belly" usually strikes.  (I've called it that since I went through student teaching.  The "weight on your back" feeling of knowing you have to finish prepping for the instructional week ahead.) But, my dear sweet kinder-blogging friends, it is SUMMER! AHHH!   Don't you just LOVE summer break?  I do!   I love feeling a bit less stressed than usual... and often find my mind pondering multiple, un-related things all at one time.  Like a "Smorgasbord" -- A little bit of this... A dash of that... And a whole bunch of random.  So in celebration of "Sunday Smorgasbord" thinking (compliments of "Fab*u*lous in First") here are some of my random thoughts from today:

Random Thought #1

Only two weeks until I am in sunny Las Vegas with my bloggy friends... filling my brain with new kinder-info!  I'm getting ready to pre-print and bind my session handouts to take with me.  And look-y here!  That wonderful DeeDee Wills has created these (below) snappy little binder/packet covers so that we can all be organized...and classily-cute at the same time!  Click on the pic to get your free download!  (If you are going to Vegas too...be sure to sign up for the "I Teach K" blogger meet-up.  See my post from last week!)

Just click on the image above to be linked to DeeDee's page.  

You can choose what format you would like to download there!

Random Thought #2

I love cute jewelry!!!  What gal doesn't, right?   The only thing that can be better than cute jewelry is INEXPENSIVE, cute jewelry!   Take a look at these super cuties I got this week!! (Pictures aren't the best...I just snapped them off with my iPhone quickly!)

Every set (necklace AND earrings come together) was $8 or less!!! Shut the front door, right?!  My super secret jewelry supplier can be found at www.sammoon.com.   Girls, give me an OH YEAH!!!  (If anyone places an order, be sure to send me pics of your favorite finds!  They have purses too!!!)

What are your random thoughts for today?  

Share them with us!  Link up by clicking on the Sunday Smorgasbord Button at the top of this post!