500 Follower Giveaways - Did YOU win?!

We have the winners for the 500 follower giveaways! Ladies, check your e-mails to make sure you received one from me - if not, please leave a comment and let me know! Also, be on the lookout for e-mails from everyone else! :)

Drumroll, please! 

Laura / Holly / Lori / Rachel

CONGRATS LADIES!

Back to hitting the books. Have a good day, y'all!

4 Gifts Series - {WANT} & WINNER!

As you all know from reading, we're moving in 2 weeks (from yesterday!). Along with moving, we'll be finding a house, paying for my schooling, and everything else we need to pay for. We'll only be having one source of income at the moment, so we need to save ALL the money we can.
When Alyson wrote about how she was going to do a blog series called 4 Gifts, I bragged about it to Cody about how it was an AMAZING idea and it was so smart and makes total sense for the holidays. 
So, I asked Alyson if I could join and she said of course!
What this series is about is the types of presents you want, need, wear, and read. Each week, we'll be posting a list of things we want, need, wear, and read.
This week, it's want.
The idea is you choose something to fit under the following four categories:
Something I want Something I need Something I'll wear Something I'll read
If it's something smaller, then 2-3 gifts per category works, otherwise one large item per category. Not only does this stop you from buying EVERYTHING in the world, but it also helps you save money in the long run. So, Cody and I will be participating in this in our own family this year, too!
 Now I know I won't get everything I want, need, wear, and read, BUT this is just a general list :) I'm so excited for this! MY WANTS LIST:

Glittered tumbler

Keurig for the new house

Patio furniture for the new house

Laptop cooling fan

What do YOU want for the holidays? Anything specific? Oh, we also have the winner for the 31 Bag in my 500 follower giveaway!

Congrats, Sara! Check your e-mail :) There's still one more day to sign up for the ADVENT CALENDAR SWAP and one more day to enter the giveaways in the 500 Follower Giveaway! Click both pictures below to check them out:

Have a good day, y'all!

5 for Five - {Week 4} / Giveaway & Advent Calendar Swap

Yup. Another week of TOTAL failure. Things got so jumbled up and I've been spending all my time with Cody since he came home sooo NONE of my goals were accomplished from last week. Big, fat ZERO out of FIVE. This week, I will get ALL of my goals accomplished:

1. Call all schools to be removed from sub list.
Since I'm moving, I have to remove myself from the lists up here. This should be an EASY goal.

2. Get ALL assignments done for the one course.
I only have the final project & an extra credit assignment due for this class... I should be able to get it done in no time!

3. Finish my Teachers & Technology resource blog.
I have only 25 more blog posts to do for this class. This equates to 25 hours of work for this one assignment... shouldn't be too hard if I divide up my time correctly!

4. Finish my Inquiry lesson.
This isn't due until the 25th, but it's a BIG grade so I want to get it done early.

5. Guest post for Laura.
I've been telling Laura for WEEKS that I am going to guest post for her.. so, I'm going to write up a post this week by Friday! It's coming, Laura - I promise!

What are YOUR goals? How do you keep yourself on track? Let me know so I can do the same for myself!

Don't forget about the 500 Follower Giveaway AND the Advent Calendar Swap Sign-ups! Both things are closed on FRIDAY!!

Have a good day, y'all!

Beautiful Blogger Award

Sara from You.And.Me.Are.We nominated me for the Beautiful Blogger Award.

Sara is an amazing woman and a great bloggy friend. She's so sweet, kind, and caring. Make sure to head over to her blog & check her out.

The rules for this award are as follows:

-Thank the ravishing, wonderful, amazing woman who nominated you. (Thank you, Sara! You already know I think you're amazing, fantastic, beautiful, and wonderful!)

-Post a picture of the award (like above).

-Share 7 facts about yourself.

-Nominate 15 blogs to share the love.

So here we go - 7 facts:

1. I love all animals. If I could save each and every one, I absolutely would.

2. I have two tattoos that have sentimental meaning to me. I'll be getting a 3rd and 4th within the next 2 months.

3. My family is my world. I would drop EVERYTHING to do ANYTHING for them. No matter what.

4. I love the beach. I would live on the beach for the rest of my life if I could afford it. But, I've always been a water baby so it makes sense!

5. I've never moved except to go to college. I could walk around my house with my eyes closed and know exactly where I'm going. This is what makes me nervous to be moving to Alabama.

6. In high school, I wanted to be a dentist. So, I checked out colleges for dentistry. Then, I wanted to be an interior designer, which is what landed me at UC. Then, I wanted to be a teacher. So no, a teacher was not my first job choice, but it's absolutely where I belong.

7. I have the biggest pet peeve - when people don't have manners. Do not expect me to be kind if you don't say "please" "thank you" "excuse me" or anything else along those lines. Drives me nuts!

Now, the 15 bloggers I nominate. Each of these bloggers are FANTASTIC women. They have been some of the most supportive mentors and those that I look up to each and every day. Each woman has their own strengths and this is what makes them all beautiful.

Laura from Love to Teach :)

Maria & Em from Curious Firsties

Jenn from A Pirate's Life for Us

Katie & Lisen from Second Grade Smartypants

Lisa from Learning is Something to Treasure

Sara from Miss Elementary

Tanja from Journey of a Substitute Teacher

Storie from Stories by Storie

Corinna from Surfin' Through Second

Kate from EduKate and Inspire

Liliris from Fourth Grade Garden

Shanyn from Coffee, Kids & Compulsive Lists

Ang from Juggling Act Mama

Tiffanie from Life with the Little Man

Mel from Frog Spot

Don't forget about the giveaway going on & the Advent Calendar Swap sign ups!

Have a beautiful day, y'all!

Fall Favorites Swap

Guess whaaaaaaat? It's time to link up for the Fall Favorites Swap hosted Mia from The Chronicles of Chaos and Kim at The K.O. Jewelry! I was partnered up with Kelly from Messy.Dirty.Hair.

Kelly was an AMAZING swap partner. She really knew me and what I liked! I'm really happy to have been paired with her. Below is what she got me. I LOVE IT ALL.

Confetti Nail Polish

 

Snowflake & Peace glittery ornaments

Christmas cards

 

Fall themed towel & oven mitt - perfect for our new house!!

Kelly - thank you SOOOO much for everything! I truly appreciate it and am so happy I was paired up with you. 

Don't forget about the giveaway & the Advent Calendar Swap sign ups!

Have a good day, y'all!

My Friend Laura

So there's this girl... her name is Laura. She is literally a blessing in disguise. Laura & I have become some of the CLOSEST bloggy buddies there ever were. She's a big time pug lover and if you know me, I cannot deny ANY animal from what they deserve. I mean.. look at the pictures below!

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Laura had a pug puppy named Lucy. She was bright, fun, and always cheerful. Healthy as can be, until she had developed a brain disease called Pug Encephalitis. Because Lucy was Laura's baby, Laura has decided that from her Teachers Notebook store, she's donating ALL proceeds made between now and November 11th to Green Mountain Pug Rescue. Teachers Notebook has also banded together with her to MATCH all of the proceeds she makes from her sales. Laura's dedication to this cause touched my heart SOO much that I had to share it with you all.

Laura is a fantastic teacher, special person, and an amazing friend. Her teaching resources are FANTASTIC and she's definitely one of the best in the world, in my book! Please support her in this cause by either purchasing things from her Teachers Notebook store, or if you're like me and don't have a classroom yet so you're not sure what units you need, you can donate directly to Green Mountain Pug Rescue. Any bit helps.

Some of her resources that I absolutely love are:

 

Colonial Life Pack & Irregular Verbs Pack

All About Angles Pack & A Teacher's Guide: Printables to Help Organize The Year

 

Our Government Pack & Weather Unit Pack

Poetry Unit & 100th Day Printables

I know Laura would absolutely love your support and I'd love that you're supporting her!

I'll leave you with this :)

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Don't forget about the giveaway going on & the Advent Calendar Swap sign ups!

Have a good day, y'all!

Advent Calendar Swap Sign-Ups!

Uh oh.. breaking bloggy rules today! BUT, I absolutely have a great excuse to be posting twice in one day.

Sarah from Notes from a Newlywed and I have partnered up to bring you all an ADVENT CALENDAR SWAP!

<div align="center"> <a href="http://missventrella.blogspot.com/2012/10/advent-calendar-swap-sign-ups.html" title="Advent Calendar Swap Button by ventrellasara, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8190/8141551302_e3d8a125c8_n.jpg" width="320" height="162" alt="Advent Calendar Swap Button"></a></div>

What's the swap all about? Well, let me tell ya! Sarah had the great idea to go forward with the Advent Calendar Swap and asked me to be the co-host. Of course I said yes because I absolutely LOVE the idea of making a hand-made advent calendar for another person to bring in the Christmas season! Here's the timeline we're shooting for for this swap:

October 31-November 9 {sign ups}
November 12 {partners assigned}
November 13-23 {get to know your partner & create the advent calendar!}
November 26 {mail day! mail out your calendar to your partner in time for December 1st}
December 17 {OPTIONAL link up here on the blogs!}

Below are some example advent calendars I found on Pinterest (yes, my addiction). I absolutely love each and every one and think they're all SO creative.

Tin Can advent calendar

Candy Wrapper advent calendar for each day!

Christmas Advent Calendar Cookie Sheet

Variety of Handmade Advent Calendar ideas

The possibilities for this are ENDLESS!

If you are interested in joining in the swap, and I hope that you are, please fill out the form below. Sarah & I are so happy to be able to bring this swap to you and we hope it has a great turn out!

ALSO: If you sign up, please make sure to go to my giveaway page by clicking the button on the bottom of this post and go to the 5th giveaway for the 31 bag - you get an extra 25 entries JUST for signing up for the swap!

Don't forget about the giveaway going on!

Have a good day, y'all!