Category: Currently

Currently AUGUST {{YIKES!}}

8/3/2015

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S AUGUST!!! To help soften the blow of my summer slipping away...I'm linking up with Farley over @ Oh, Boy 4th Grade for August Currently!!

// LISTENING //

Grayson is easing back into his school routine so that when I go back it isn't too much of a shock {we've had a pretty care-free summer!}, so today I'm camped out at my favorite...STARBUCKS, getting some work done. They are rockin' some seriously awesome retro tunes in here, & I'm just groovin' right along. PS: Have you tried the Justin's dark chocolate PB cups @ Starbucks. O-M-G!!!!!

// THINKING //

Sometimes you just HAVE to unplug and stop multi-tasking. I'm sure we've ALL been working like crazy to prep for the TPT back to school sale and also for going back to school ourselves. After way too many late nights and over-multi-tasked days.....I stopped myself and did NO WORK this weekend. I just enjoyed my family and the amazingly gorgeous weather. Don't forget to PACE & take time for YOURSELF & your FAMILY!!!

// B2S RAK //

We often think about RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) around holiday time, but RAK-ing doesn't need to stop there. B2S time is a fab opportunity to make your colleagues & children's teachers feel all warm & fuzzy inside. Let's face it, B2S puts everyone a bit on-edge, and whether it's picking up someone's favorite Starbucks drink, a fun goodie back, or just LOADS OF CHOCOLATE and/or CAFFEINE...we all love a good pick-me-up when we're getting back into the swing of things. I'll be writing some B2S Blog posts with more ideas and photos for making your teammates and colleagues feel cool just in time for back to school! {{STAY TUNED}}

// LOVING //

Summer has finally decided to show up here in Chicago-land! Last week, over the weekend, and even throughout this week, we are set for gorgeous weather: sun, perfect heat, & a just-right breeze. At the end of the month...when I'm in a NON-air conditioned room with 20+ sweaty 4th graders, I won't be loving this heat so much, but for now...I'm going to soak up every last drop.

// WANTING //

I'm torn right now between back-to-school prep, family activities, severely needing to organize my house....and....wanting desperately to start some new creative Marketing Maven products!! On the docket:

LOGO custom creations
NEW photo mock-ups featuring chalkboard backdrops
WORDPRESS site/blog designs
NEW teacher notecards/prints
BRANDING concept kits

// TPT B2S SALE //

Save up to 28% site-wide on TPT for their annual back to sale BLOWOUT! My ENTIRE STORE is on sale, plus you'll get an extra discount if you use code: BTS15 at checkout. Stock up on classroom and TPT seller goodies before Aug. 4th @11:59 pm!

// SHOP MY TPT //

2 Comments

Currently July 2015

7/1/2015

5 Comments

I'm linking up with Farley @ Oh Boy, 4th Grade for the July Currently!
Summer is underway, and I'll be seeing lots of you soon in VEGAS!!

// LISTENING //

Grayson recently discovered Despicable Me and the Minions. He LOVES them...and so do we. Can't wait for Minion madness when the new movie comes out!

// THINKING //

We can't wait for our "stay-cation" trip to the beautiful Blue Harbor Resort! Beautiful accommodations, beachfront fun, s'mores pits, fireworks on the lake...now that's MY kind of July 4th!

Rain or shine...we'll be fine, because the resort has an AMAZING indoor waterpark. SPLASH!

// NEEDING //

I can't wait for the Make a Splash Teacher Bash in EXACTLY ONE WEEK! Time is ticking, RSVPs are in, so I need to give a final headcount to the Venetian pool deck concierge & place orders for food !

// LOVING //

I'm a real sucker for office supplies & stationery, so having all of my business goodies arriving daily for the #tptvegas2015 conference next week is SO FUN! Zazzle buttons & a few outfits are next on the delivery list!

// WANTING //

We've only had a few really great summer days so far. I'm not complaining...but I'd love it if Mr. Sun came out to play today through the holiday weekend!

// ROCK STAR //

I've been having an ABSOLUTE BLAST creating something I've been cooking up for a while: MARKETING MAVEN for TPT:
INSTANT digital marketing toolkits for product covers, blog post images, social media posts, & TPT shop customization!
Drop in your photos & text...VOILA!

// MAKE YOUR PRODUCTS & POSTS P-O-P!! //

{INSTANT SWAG for products, posts, & Social Media}
8 pre-sized custom images: $4.00 {20% off now!}

INSTAGRAM @LINDSEYPETLAK

// SHOP my TPT Store //

5 Comments

Currently January, AKA: I'm ALIIIIIIIVE!!!!

1/5/2015

4 Comments

Where have I been? What happened to Lindsey?
One Word: LIFE

Sorry that I went MIA for a bit, but I honestly can't remember anything after Halloween and before Christmas. #kiddingnotkidding November and December were an absolute WHIRLWIND...all good things....but a whirlwind nevertheless. I've been working on creating and testing out materials for my classroom, finishing up our first round of Hogwarts after school program, report cards, conferences, EXCITING new STEMagination Station adventures {stay tuned for more details}, holidays, birthdays, class parties, volunteering at Grayson's school, etc. etc. I'm not glorifying or bragging about the business, but facts are just facts.

// Happy 2015 from the Petlak Family!! //

NOW....it's a new year. I've had some time to relax, reboot, enjoy my family, and get pumped up for this blog, new product releases, and adventures between now & the end of the school year! I'm linking up with the one, the only, Farley @ Oh, Boy 4th Grade for January Currently.

LISTENING: My little guy is watching James & the Giant Peach....sitting on his new "tractor" (construction vehicle) in the middle of our family room. It's an interesting sight, but if you know our family (my sis is a HUGE Roald Dahl fan & I grew up in a farming community)....it fits just perfectly.

LOVING: 2014 was a GREAT year for our family, but I always love a fresh start. Something about the new year is always refreshing and rejuvenating for me, so I'm welcoming 2015 with open arms. I'm taking everything I learned, loved, failed at, or achieved in 2014 and building up on that in the new year. Do you love the feeling of a new year...or do you think it's just rubbish?

THINKING: Look. I love Chicago, but I do NOT {repeat DO NOT} love frigidly cold,
snowpocalypse weather. We've had a mild winter thus far, but CHI-BERIA is here in full-force. Barring a potential surprise "inclement weather day," which would be a nice little treat, I'm THINKING I'd rather be under blue skies & enjoying sunny weather on a beach!

WANTING: In November & December I cranked out some super fun, rigorous holiday-themed math stations. Since I test everything in my class first, I didn't get the products out "on time," and I'm okay with that. It's amazing the changes that need to be made by testing something with your own kiddos first. SO, I'm WANTING to finalize and post those {with a SUPER SALE to stock up for next year} and I'm wrapping up finalizations on some "winter" themed math stations that I hope to post live in the next week or two! Also, I'm WANTING to have some fun getting creative and working on some new, whimsical chalk art stationery and framed art pieces to help us all beat the winter blues. STAY TUNED for new products and SALES SOON!

NEEDING: MORE REST. It's tough getting back into the grind of the work week. {Do I need to say more? If you're a teacher & a mom...'nuff said}

YES: I'm pumped for home/school/blog/product reorganization and revamping in 2015! It's a MUST.
MAYBE: I am going to work hard for Christmas at Disney in 2015....we shall see....good incentive, don't you think? What's more magic than Disney?....Disney at Christmas time!
I WISH: Per the comment above....I'm WISHing and dreaming for sandy beaches and sun on my skin!!

4 Comments

Currently November

11/2/2014

6 Comments

I'm ALIIIIIIIVE!
I have been M.I.A. for a while now....we're talking Hobbit-hole, recluse-style retreat. Why?
I've got lots of blog posts pending with fun details, but for now....

I'm linking up with Farley from
Oh Boy, 4th Grade for the
November Currently. What better way to resurface in the blog-o-sphere than with Farley's monthly link-up party!

LISTENING
Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone {I want to be her BFF}, 1949 Hollywood glamour, and some righteous vigilante justice....need I say more? This is a great movie, and it's free on-demand right now, so it was perfect background entertainment while I caught up on some things on my laptop.

THINKING
I am so excited to start hammering away at my newest creations for TPT! As November creeps in on us, I'll be releasing more teacher gift goodies & some fun forest friends products {What Does the Fox Say?}. Can't wait to finish them up & post them!!

Printable teacher stationery AVAILABLE NOW.
CLICK HERE to see them in my store!

NEEDING
I have so much & am super blessed, but I still have a November wish list! Like most teachers, more time & some good rest are at the top of the list, especially since report cards & conferences are coming up this month. A mani/pedi session is a MUST right about now, & luckily I just made an appointment for TUESDAY {counting down the hours}. Most of all, I want MORE SNUGGLES from my sweet little Gray-Bear! He's been SO lovey-dovey and snuggly lately, & I'm ALLLLLLL about it. I'll soak up every last little snuggle drop with my buddy and then some! {MELTING}

LOVING
The past two weekends have been FABULOUS family weekends that I wish would never end! Blog posts with details are coming soon, but suffice it to say that we had a FRIGHTfully delightful Halloween season this year! Also, I finally got a much-needed haircut and color! WOO HOO!

WANTING
Halloween is my FAVORITE...but it's also exhausting! I want a 3 day weekend, people!
This would be the PERFECT weekend to have an extra day to rest, recuperate, & better prepare for a new week. However, that's not going to happen, so...I'd better put my big girl pants on & deal, because tomorrow is Sunday already & Monday will be here in the blink of an eye! I guess I'll take the "extra hour" from "Fall back" time as a little bonus rest time this weekend!

READING
While I've been MIA, I've fallen behind on some of my favorite teacher blogs! This weekend I tried to catch up a bit and, of course, Cara Carroll's two blogs are at the top of my list {even though I don't teach 1st grade!}. Besides her famously awesome teacher blog, I'm {slightly} obsessed with her domestic blog, Pearls, Handcuffs, & Happy Hour. Check it out, you'll love it, I promise.
{#mightbestalking #sorrynotsorry}

After Halloween SUPER SALE!

Hooray!! We survived Halloween! To celebrate, I'm throwing a 20% off "After Halloween" sale through Monday night!! Recuperate this weekend and save big on spooky items for NEXT YEAR!!
{My Halloween units are newly improved and updated, too.}

6 Comments

5 for Friday & a FAB Spooky Freebie!

10/3/2014

0 Comments

Don't Miss Out on the FREEBIE @ the End!

S.T.E.M.agination Station:
Hogwarts Academy After SChool Club

S.T.E.M.agination Station is the brainchild passion project that my #teachingtwin, Jenna Weinstein, and I created a year ago. It is hands-down the best move I've ever made as an educator and continues to amaze me every time we engage in an engineering challenge. Learn more about S.T.E.M.agination Station on our web page HERE.

This year we added an after school club component to our S.T.E.M.agination Station endeavors. Because we're both Potter dorks, we host "Hogwarts Academy" every Monday after school through our PTO enrichment program. Students engage in Harry Potter-themed STEM projects each week and create a fun Potter-inspired snack, that usually involves STEM skills as well. IT.IS.SO.MUCH.FUN. I wouldn't lie.

Call me a dork if you want...I'm in Hogwarts heaven, and the kids are, too. They have so much fun that they don't even realize they are engaging in complex science, math, technology, and engineering challenges. Stay tuned for more S.T.E.M.agination Station fun!

S.T.E.M.agination Station Buddy Program:
Build Rapunzel's Tower

On a weekly basis, we participate in STEM challenges with our Kindergarten buddy class. In our school, older classes pair with younger ones to build leadership and other skills. Each week we start with a classic tale and then create STEM challenges based on that tale. This week, we engaged in our first buddies STEM challenge: RAPUNZEL

After reading/watching the story, students had to build the tallest, free-standing Rapunzel tower using only dried spaghetti and marshmallows (both large and mini) to help the witch make a tower tall enough that no prince could rescue poor Rapunzel. The kiddos did SUCH a great job! I can't wait for next week......when we'll be building the strongest Rapunzel hair using only Pull-n-Peel Twizzlers! Stay tuned for more S.T.E.M.agination Station fun!

Anniversary Concert with Hubby

As you may have seen on Instagram or my Wordless Wednesday post, 10/1 was our 10 year anniversary! We took a glorious trip this summer to celebrate, but last weekend continued the celebration with a trip to downtown Chicago for the Black Keys concert. Let me tell you, the concert ROCKED. I mean, it rocked HARD. I could NOT believe how amazing these guys from Ohio were live. If you EVER get the chance to see The Black Keys...TAKE IT!

Dinner Before the Concert @ Eataly

As you can already tell, I'm ALL ABOUT FOOD. Seriously, I adore good food. Before the concert, we took the plunge and experienced all that Eataly has to offer....and then some. We will have to go back for sure...at least 2, or 3, or more times. Eataly is my food Mecca. Just check out the photos below. From restaurant goodies, to their Italian market, it was beyond delish and made us feel like we were legit in Italy!

Fresh Salads All Week & Meal Prep Post Update

I'm THRILLED that my salads-in-jars were so incredibly tasty and stayed fresh and crispy ALL.WEEK.LONG. That's 5 days, peeps! I made them on Sunday evening and today at lunch my salad was still fresh as a daisy! I'll be writing a post on how to make them and my fave recipes soon. Also....drumroll {b/c it's taken forever}....my make-ahead freezer meal post should be up either Saturday or Sunday!! YIPPEE!

Save the BEST for Last...YOUR FREEBIE!

If you already follow me on TPT, THANK YOU...& you're about to receive a special treat! If you don't yet follow me on TPT, please do & then YOU can receive a special treat, too....and that's no trick! We can only send out 1 email per month, so follow me on TPT by Sunday @ midnight {technically Monday a.m.}. On Monday I'll blast out an email to all of my TPT followers with this custom designed owl silhouette Halloween notecard/art print. Just download, cut, and use as a card or frame and use for ghoulish decor! THANKS & ENJOY!

GET THE COMPLETE SET FOR $3.00 ON TPT!

Click on the image below to see the product preview and details in my TPT store.

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Currently AUGUST {{YIKES!}}

// LISTENING //

// THINKING //

// B2S RAK //

// LOVING //

// WANTING //

// TPT B2S SALE //

// SHOP MY TPT //

Currently July 2015

// LISTENING //

// THINKING //

// NEEDING //

// LOVING //

// WANTING //

// ROCK STAR //

// MAKE YOUR PRODUCTS & POSTS P-O-P!! //

{INSTANT SWAG for products, posts, & Social Media} 8 pre-sized custom images: $4.00 {20% off now!}

// SHOP my TPT Store //

Currently January, AKA: I'm ALIIIIIIIVE!!!!

Where have I been? What happened to Lindsey? One Word: LIFE

// Happy 2015 from the Petlak Family!! //

Currently November

After Halloween SUPER SALE!

5 for Friday & a FAB Spooky Freebie!

Don't Miss Out on the FREEBIE @ the End!

S.T.E.M.agination Station: Hogwarts Academy After SChool Club

S.T.E.M.agination Station Buddy Program: Build Rapunzel's Tower

Anniversary Concert with Hubby

Dinner Before the Concert @ Eataly

Fresh Salads All Week & Meal Prep Post Update

Save the BEST for Last...YOUR FREEBIE!

GET THE COMPLETE SET FOR $3.00 ON TPT!

// CONNECT //

Be an INSIDER!

MEET LINDSEY

Find Me On // TPT //

FAVORITE THINGS

ERIN CONDREN

SITE DESIGN

SHOP NOW

PHOTO LOVE

PIN-TASTIC

CATEGORIES

ARCHIVES

LINKED UP

// Home // Blog // About // Shop // Connect //

{INSTANT SWAG for products, posts, & Social Media}
8 pre-sized custom images: $4.00 {20% off now!}

Where have I been? What happened to Lindsey?
One Word: LIFE

S.T.E.M.agination Station:
Hogwarts Academy After SChool Club

S.T.E.M.agination Station Buddy Program:
Build Rapunzel's Tower

Find Me On
// TPT //