It's all just too cute and a Linky Party!

If you don't think you can handle the cuteness don't read any further :)  This post is nothing but cute and adorable!

Last night we had a little family game night and poor ol' Charlie was feeling left out.  Without thumbs and all it's just not possible for him to play cards with us.  And, since he has those sad droopy eyes, and those big floppy ears he just looks miserable staring at you while your laugh and joke at the human table.  Well, Jake couldn't take anymore of the pathetic stares.....

could this dog be any more spoiled?!?!

I also created another cute addition for my classroom.  Just look at it's absolute adorableness....

The bin came from Dollar Tree, the wooden cutout from Hobby Lobby (it was $3, but at half price....$1.50), and I made the label.

I don't know why I never thought of this idea (originally from The Two Sisters at The Daily Cafe).  My students are always bringing me books that have seen a little too much love.  I set them aside in a pile and forget about them.  This basket is genius......the kids won't have to bother me when they find a book in need of repair, and I can just grab the basket on my way out the door each Friday and do the necessary repairs over the weekend!  What on earth did teachers do before blogging and Pinterest......I would've been lost!!!

I'm also linking up with Jodi at Fun in First Grade for my favorite Back to School activity!!  I just love the beginning of the school year!  All the excitement, anticipation, and newness just gets me all giddy!!  Like most teachers I have a ton of favorite activities, but I will limit it to one.

For the past 5 years I have been doing a Get-To-Know-You Snowball fight.  I've seen some things about it on Pinterest recently, but I originally saw the idea in an issue of Instructor magazine.  I give each kiddo a sheet of notebook paper.  They are to list three things about themselves that we might not know.  I tell them that the key to this activity is to make their three things a little tricky for us to guess, but not so hard that their three things could belong to just any ol' body in the classroom.  Once we've all written down our three things we crumple up our paper and the real fun begins!  I give them a couple of minutes to throw their "snowballs" around the room, at each other, at me......it's hilarious.

  This was my very first year of teaching (6th grade that year) and my very first attempt at the snowball fight.  I sure do miss these little peeps.

 I think I love this part the best because every one is so tense on that first day of school....trying to be good, trying to make the right impression, not sure how to act.....and this activity allows us to all let our hair down and have fun!  When the the snowball fight ends each person picks up the snowball closest to them, and we take turns reading them aloud. We all try to guess who the paper belongs too.  This part can get pretty silly.....I've even had kids forget what they wrote and not recognize when someone is reading their three things.....ahh 4th graders, don't you just love them!