A Few Lines!

Hi everybody!

First off, I want to say thank you to everyone for all their sweet word and kind thoughts concerning my paypal issues. 
I am over it (mostly)...haha

Anyway, life goes on regardless. 
School is kicking my butt this week and I have an awesome pack to list, but with all the commotion I didn't want to do it Sunday and I am dead tired tonight, so tomorrow night is my goal to get it up and on TPT!!

And also if you get a chance...Please visit my friend Heather's site and follow her blog,
Heather's Heart.  She is SO close to reaching 800 followers...she only needs 5 more before tomorrow to have a giveaway!!!  Plus she has great freebies and awesome ideas!!

I wanted to direct you to my Groundhog freebie (in case you missed it the first time)
Hope you can use it! =)

((Big Hugs)) to all of you and for making me feel better last night...I value each and every one of you!

Issues, Issues, Issues.

Well, I woke up Sunday morning with an email from Paypal saying that my account had been frozen.  I have no idea why and even after calling them, I still have no idea why.  From what limited information they did provide, they think my email/paypal account is associated with some other email address or paypal account...which it is not.  So after trolling a bunch of websites this morning, I am even more worried because apparently, they can just freeze your account...close it...not allow you to ever have one again.  And in essence, end my ability to earn money. I haven't done a single thing wrong.  (I mean, sure, I have done things that are wrong in my 38 years, but concerning paypal and buying, selling, etc...I haven't done anything wrong).  The websites I read basically said that even if I just allowed someone to pay me, and they are a wrongdoer, paypal can still say I broke their terms and close my account.  I read where if they think you violated their terms, they can go into your banking account and withdraw funds to reimburse your customers. ...without consulting you first, depending upon the situation. (even if the customers have no problem or issue with you)  SO my suggestion knowing this now is to never let money sit in your account...always withdraw or transfer it, just in case they decide to freeze your account...another suggestion I read about was to never give them your banking account info, to instead use a prepaid debit/credit card to verify your account.  I am so irritated by the entire situation I cannot even see straight.  Of course those suggestions are for the paranoid...and when once posed to me, I thought 'who needs to do that?
It won't happen to me...'

Well, that was yesterday...I hesitated posting anything then because I thought it would be resolved because, afterall,  I did nothing wrong. Well, I got an email this morning and the appeal was denied.  I am done.  No paypal account for me.  FOR LIFE.  Yes, I said...FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.  Are you serious?  Are you freakin' kidding me??  Ten years of having and using this...my one and only paypal account..allowing paypal to take a percentage of my earnings for every transaction made...never having a single complaint by a customer...and they deny me even an explanation after all of that.
 I called again and yes, that is it.  They do not nor will they provide me any details as to why my account was closed....unless I provide a subpoena.  And even then he (customer service) delightfully told me it would not change their decision.  It is final. 
My funds that were in there are frozen for 180 days...after that they will probably release them. 
I have no idea what any of this means for my business... fortunately TPT sends checks and you can purchase using a debit or credit card...for online buying I can use google checkout or amazon checkout.   For the time being, my Teachers Notebook store is closed. 
For me, it is the point.  I did nothing wrong...and yet I am being treated and punished as if I did ...with no way of defending myself. I am horrified...and heartbroken...worried and irritated.  I should have entitiled this post as "Why I Hate Paypal."

and to make matters worse....
did I mention our heat has been out all weekend??  lol

What We've Been Doing...

Ok folks...I will be honest.  I am behind.  ...so very, very behind.  I have a list that is a million miles long and so I haven't been sharing a lot lately simply because I am trying to remember all the things on the list. 

(insert nervous laugh)

But I thought I would share real quick some of the things I have gotten around to doing in my classroom.

 Snowmen used for -er and -est adjectives.

 Torn Paper Snowmen from Pinterest.

 Ringing in the New Year with a project from A Cupcake for the Teacher.

For 100th Day...we made a banner that says "I'm 100 Days Smarter!"

The banner pieces are hot glued to ribbon.

 Our Signs...from Walmart $1 section tied together with ribbon so they would hang.

 We made 100 Day Crowns

 ...and illustrated what we would like look when we are 100.

I have a new pack that should be a lot of fun..so stay tuned!

By the way, tomorrow is Friday!!

Fantastic Giveaway!

Miss Kindergarten is hosting a
Fantastic February Goody Giveaway!

To enter, visit her blog here:

Preparing for February? Wouldn't you love to get all these great activities for free!?

What can you win if you enter?

All these things:

from

 

 from

from
ME!

from

from

To enter visit Miss Kindergarten! Or click on the picture above!

Alabama Blogger Friends!

I have had a lot of great folks respond that they are interested in meeting up some time.  I have filed all your names away and still would love to hear from anyone else interested.  I was thinking before sending out an email with time and place...maybe I would ask for suggestions. 

I was thinking maybe lunch on a Saturday?

We could plan for some time in February...so if there is a date that does NOT work, leave a comment..and I will try to accommodate for as many people as possible  =)

I know I had mentioned Red Robin (maybe in Trussville) but I am open to anything...

(there is also Chuy's at the Summit or Superior on 280...just "holler" suggestions below...lol)

If you are like me and can come anytime (as long as I know in advance) then you are fine to not comment as long as you have emailed me or commented on the last post about it! =)

Anyway, sorry about the double post tonight, just wanted to make sure I got some feedback from everyone about dates and location.

Giveaway Time!

Loving & Learning in Pre-K is hosting a fantabulous Giveaway 

where you could win one of my packs :

AND also

and this...

    

  

and a $10 gift card to TPT from

And this also...

And then our host, Julia is adding this:

  

WOW!  That is a lot of awesome prizes!!

In order to enter for a chance to win visit:

Groundhog Day Freebie!

OK, I admit it....I like Groundhog Day.  I like it, not only because it is my husband's favorite movie (gotta love Bill Murray), but also because Phil is just plain cute.  It's a fun holiday tradition and a great way to work in a lesson or two about predictions! Click here or on the picture to get your copy!

Included in the freebie is the template for the headband craft, a class prediction graph, Groundhog Info Page, and a prediction fill in the blank page.

And don't forget....

Also,  if you are an Alabama blogger, we would love to meet you!!  Email me at laughinbrunette@hotmail.com and I will let you know 

when and where we are thinking about meeting up. 

Alabama Bloggers!...and Some Great Giveaways

Hey Y'all! 

I know a lot of bloggers out there have been having regional meet ups and I was wondering if anyone would like to get together here in Alabama? 

I thought it would be fun to meet and have some fun.  

I mentioned it a while back to Ms A (over at Oceans of First Grade Fun) and she thought it would be fun, too.  SO all we need now is to find out who all would want to come, where, and when.  Everyone is welcome and I was thinking maybe Trussville or Birmingham both are pretty much in the middle of most of us in the state.  (I know Ms. A likes Red Robin...just sayin'! lol)  Maybe we could meet on a Saturday...in February?  or March?  I am flexible (most of the time! lol)

Anyway, if you'd like to be a part of it, just email me at laughinbrunette@hotmail.com or comment below and I will start a folder of folks interested.  

Feel free to throw out possible dates or locations...

any ideas are welcome!

ALSO...here are some links to some great giveaways around, check them out!

Darlin' in First

Amazing Gift Giveaway!

Ashleigh's Education Journey

Amazon Card Giveaway!

Fun in First

Win a Year's Worth of Fluency Passages!

Ketchen's Kindergarten

50 Follower Giveaway!

And I have my freebie ready to go and will share tomorrow night!! 

Happy Tuesday!

Froggy's First Kiss

FINALLY!  I have finished my new pack!!  

It is an art, science, math, and writing pack all about frogs, specifically centered around the book Froggy's First Kiss...but really, some of the extension activities could be used when studying frog life cycles (like the flipbook)...perfect during Valentine's Day, or any time of year when you devote some time to Froggy!

Here is what is included:

TPT

Teachers Notebook

Hope you love it!

And I have a freebie to share tomorrow or Wednesday night!! =)

Pattern Blocks & Sight Words

This is an oldie, but goodie of mine.  My kids *love* this station...and it integrates math and reading..how's that for cross-curricular?  The first is a set of my own creation of pattern block shape math mats with sight words on them...ready to place in a Math and Literacy Station...an awesome way to integrate geometry and sight words!
Check it out by clicking the above pictures or:
TPT
Teachers Notebook

Should apply to Common Core:

• 1.G.2. Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, half-circles, and quarter-circles) or three-dimensional shapes (cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones, and right circular cylinders) to create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the composite shape.¹
• RF.1.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

 I hope everyone has had a great Saturday! 

I am working on something new, so be on the look out!!