Yoga, Matryoshka Dolls and Making Words!

Happy Monday, Peeps! Kerri here...
Remember how I told you I was on the hunt for a yoga outfit that didn't cost me $1000, like they do at LuLuLemon? (Sorry, LuLuLemon, but your prices are RIDICULOUS!) Well, I found one at TJ MAXX! I heart that place! However, even though I found one, the experience was ALMOST as painful as trying on bathing suits. Seriously, I hated it! 


I did persevere, despite the awkwardness and hideousness of it all, got my yoga gear on, and then went to my first yoga class at the gym. O.M.G. That class, apparently, was for pros! I was SOOOO sore the next day and to top it off, my teenage daughter came with me, and told me afterwards that I embarrassed her. What the Heck! I wasn't that out of place!


 I'm not giving up, though! I'm going today, even if I am curled up in the fetal position all day tomorrow with sore muscles! And maybe today I'll make my daughter hold hands with me when we walk in! That'll show her! HA!

Did you know that I love Matryoshka Dolls? It all started 5 years ago at the OC Fair, when my girls each picked one out. Since then, it has been our tradition to get a new doll every summer when the fair comes, and it's coming this Friday!! I'm so excited!! The day after Big Brother starts-YIPPEE!! (Wait, did I just say that out loud? Oops!) 


I also uploaded my newest unit to TPT-A Year of Making Words! 
Do your kids go bananas like mine do when they get to make little words out of big words? Mine go Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs every time we do this center! Here's a little looksie...

This Unit comes with 10 making words activities, one for every month of the year, PLUS recording sheets, AND 3 extra activities if you want to extend the Making Words experience with your chitlins!

What’s Included:

1. August/September Making Words-appleseeds
2. October Making Words-frankenstein
3. November Making Words-Thanksgiving
4. December Making Words-gingerbread
5. January Making Words-snowflakes
6. February Making Words-valentines
7. March Making Words-leprechaun
8. April Making Words-jellybeans
9. May Making Words-graduation
10. June Making Words-summertime
11. Recording Worksheets for each month’s Making Words Center
12. Optional worksheets to make recording sheets 2-sided:

-Story Writing and Illustration using the words made from the monthly word

-Sentence Writing using the words made from the monthly word

-Real/Nonsense Word sort using words made from monthly word

Directions for Assembling Making Words Center:

1. Laminate and cut apart words for durability. Store words in baggies.
2. Have students work individually or in pairs to make little words using the monthly thematic word, and then record their words on the provided monthly worksheets.
3. Extension activity: Run worksheets 2-sided, including one of the optional worksheets on the back of the Making Words worksheet. 
4. This center can also be done whole class using a document camera or projecting the monthly word onto a screen, with the teacher and students working together to make words using the monthly thematic word.

I plan on teaching my kiddos how to "Make Words" the first couple months by doing this activity whole group under the document camera or in a pocket chart, and by November, I think they will be good to do this activity independently! I don't know what it is that makes them so excited about the Making Words center, but my kids SERIOUSLY go nuts for it! 

Alrighty, Peeps! I'm out! Gonna go put on my Yoga outfit and prepare myself mentally for the awkwardness and muscle pain...Do any of you do Yoga? Making Words? Are you obsessed with Big Brother Matryoshka Dolls or the Fair? I'd love to know your thoughts!! 

Namaste, friends!