A day to Remember Freebie, Life with Charlie, Games & a Special Thanks!

Hi everyone!! I am taking a little break between posts for the Common Core Book Study. Over the next few days, you will be seeing a bunch of Common Core Resources here & you can link up to other grade level teams to get some great tips and resources!! I have a lot to squeeze in, so please bear with me here (-;
Before I get into anything, I just want to give a little love to the men and women who so valiantly protect our country!!! Thank you to all of you who serve our country (and that INCLUDES teachers)!! The picture above is from my new, Proudly United Clip Art Set & it is FREE for you to grab!! Please read my TOU to the right if you have any questions about how you may use the image. Here are the previews for this set. You can click on the last pic to go to my TPT store to get this bunch of proud cuties!! I wanted to add more to this set, in fact, I have the black outlines to several more, but I ran out of time - so I will be adding more to this set in the next few weeks. Those of you who pay for and download this set will NOT have to pay for the ones I add - I will add them directly into this file and then send out a notice that it was updated through TPT!!

Enjoy the Freebie (P.S....don't leave yet, there are more freebies at the end).

Okay, 'nuff about that. (-; I know most of you know that we got a FREE, super cute puppy last week and named him Charlie. I have to say that life with a puppy is a bit like life with a toddler - GEE-GOLLY!! He is quite the stinker, this Charlie, but he is packaged with so much cuteness that I can't get upset at him...although, I am on to his games!! He is so smart and I find myself talking to him like he is a real person...hahahaha. His new thing is to sit in my office chair while I work - he seems to like watching me draw. Here is a pic I took, but the angle is weird. And yes, I put a sheet over my office chair to protect the leather - one day, I will have some time to look for a tutorial on making a chair cover on Pinterest - until then...sheets are in style!! Sometimes, he leaves me some room on my ow chair to sit...hehehe Charlie loves to be around us, but he is still not potty-trained - not even close. He doesn't even give out any signs he has to go - he will just be playing one second and peeing and playing the next second - he is so hyper that he won't even fully stop playing to pee...hahaha! I am crate-training him, so he is making progress at times. He loves the kids and he will do things that my other dog (Roxy - a Chihuahua) won't do, like fetch and chase his tail. I am finding that he has an obsession with my deodorant and the ipad. He won't stop trying to lick my underarms - which is driving me batty...hahaha...and he LOVES to tap the ipad with his paw when anyone is on it...hahahaha!! I think I may have to hire a puppy trainer because I am not so sure I am up for training this little guy - he seems to know what I am asking him to do, but he is cleverly refusing my requests...Maybe I am the one who needs the training...hahaha
Well, the good thing about Charlie being a happy and healthy puppy is that with hard play comes even harder sleep...bwahahaha! He even has his ball & his "foxy" right next to him!!
Well, onto STATES!
This year, my son is in 5th grade, so when asked to review a couple of games from Lakeshore (and seeing that there was a states game), I delightfully accepted their offer!!
I chose two games to review:
United States Grab & Play Game for grades 3-5th
The Allowance Game for grades K-4th

I will begin with the game I liked the least, so that I end with a happy note (-; The Allowance Game was really not my cup of tea. The game focuses more on winning than on learning. The coins are very dark in color and would make it very difficult for younger children to distinguish the different coins. The game is a fast play; however, and can be played in about 10 minutes. The first one to get to $20.00 in earnings is the winner. The game does not include critical thinking questions to help children learn the concept of money and/or working hard. It is pretty mindless (and I am trying to be polite). I would have included more of a strategy focus with game cards where students could match the coins to determine their worth. It is fun to play, but if you are looking for a learning game - I would not recommend this one...Wah Wah Wah...I hate to be a FROWNY FILBERT about this game, but I was looking and reviewing this game from an educator's point of view...it is not a bad game - it is just not a good game for the classroom.
THE STATES GAME - HOWEVER - IS A WINNER IN MY BOOK!! Even ask Charlie...hahaha
The game comes in a little package, but includes TONS of great learning opportunities for kids in the areas of Social Studies, U.S. History, Government & of course, U.S. state and capital review.
The little game "board" is actually a reference map to help children find answers to many of the questions on the cards. It makes for a great opportunity to familiarize students with a "bird's eye" view of the United states. The map includes capitals, major landmarks, lakes, rivers, and more. Students can become familiar with using a map key and compass as well. I can't even tell you how many great learning elements are packed into this little game. I played it with my son and he loved it!! We have made a habit of playing it every other day to help him practice for his states quizzes this year. 
To play the game, one player rolls the dice, while the other player picks up a card and reads the question that correlates with the number that was rolled. The player whose turn it is can use the map to answer questions (or you can allow students to use their own notes from class). If he/she gets the question correct, then a "token" is pulled from the little bag and the player gets to record the point value on their score sheet. The answers to each question are located next to the question on the right side (the part I cut off apparently..hehehe) The game only comes with one master copy of the score card, so I created a template to print 4 per page in a PDF and made several copies, cut, and placed in the game to be used. I asked if I could share the PDF with  all of you and was given the green light...WOO HOO!!
Click on my cute monster icon to download the file...(I did not make this icon - this was a freebie I downloaded about 4 years ago from an online place...not sure where exactly now...eek)

You can visit Lakeshore Learning to find more games or to get this game!!
& visit their FB page for news, updates and specials!
I have also been given a coupon code to get 25% off if you get a game (or other regular priced resource) before October 10th, 2012...enjoy the savings!!

Click HERE to go straight to the discount page...
Onto some other great Goodies!!
Before I share some of the work I have been up to, I would like to give out some thank you's to some special lady bloggers!!
First, I must give a GIANT hug and shout out to my bloggy friend from Oregon, Tanja!!! I was going to send her a message yesterday on TT, but I decided that I would surprise her. Tanja has been such a great bloggy friend and such a wonderful resource for so many of us. She is a little light & probably the most faithful and loyal cyber friend I have! She is always my number 1 supporter and cheerleader & I found that I am not the only one she is a number 1 fan to. She is spreading her little happy light all over the place and I love reading her comments as I read through the 900 blogs on my blog list (hahaha...I wish I could get through all of them).
While obsessively checking my sales (I have been really working hard to get them up), I noticed that her name is the first name listed on every new set I put up!!! She is always supporting my art and sending referrals my way & I am so appreciative to have her support and friendship!! Even though she is all over the place, she doesn't try to draw a bunch of attention to herself (hahaha...like I do with my obsessive FB antics)... and she has a modest following on her blog of  564 followers on her blog and 218 likes on her FB.
I have decided to honor her with a special gift - I don't have a lot of money, but I do have a lot of art (-; Here is your gift... My (just made up) Golden Star Gift Certificate - for a great person that shines brightly!! 

This certificate allows you to choose ONE clip art set each month (from anything I put up) completely FREE of charge until December 31, 2012!!  Thank you for shining bright - hopefully this makes your shine glisten...hehehe
If you haven't already checked out her blog & FB page, you must go check out Tanja's blog. She has tons of resources!!
Visit her FB page HERE
I would also like to give a little shout out to a new artsy fartsy blogger friend. I strongly believe that success comes with those who learn and support one another. I love being able to help out new or inspiring digital artists, which is how I met Tammy from

She is wild about polka dots as you will see, but she is also started to sell some great looking clip art for educators!! I have enjoyed working and laughing with her through instant chat!!! I look forward to the "DING" in my inbox...hahaha!! I believe in supporting fellow artists... Because I am a self-taught artist, I know how difficult it is when just starting out & I love to put on the face of a mentor at every chance I get!! I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Tammy and I hope you take an opportunity to visit her blog and take a peek at her cute clip art sets!!!
I know there are WAY more people that I have encountered through blogging that have positively impacted my life & I thank each and every one of you!!!
Here is a peek of a few of the new sets I have recently put up...I told you I have been busy...hehehe... Special Request from Krista @ http://www.thereadingolympians.com/blog/

 Special Request from Linda @

 http://aroundthekampfire.blogspot.com/

Thank you for pinning & for visiting my blog!! Now off to finish Unit 2 of the Book Study!!