Blog Best and Brightest

I'm loving all the linky parties going on over vacation... As I started vacation I was wondering what I could talk about since it's VACATION (Yes, I'm still doing the vacation happy dance over a week later.)  Then I started finding even more awesome bloggers that are hosting meet and greets through the linky parties.  I digress... I'm sure you understand... Anyhow, tonight I'm linking up with Christina over at Bunting, Books, and Bainbridge to share the Best and Brightest from 2012.  

Here's the breakdown:

Best Thing from the Year

I've learned so much this past year from the blogging community.  It started a year ago with Pinterest, then finding out about so many blogs mentioned on there, to thinking that perhaps I could do something like that too... to starting up my family blog and quickly realizing that I like to talk about school ALOT, to starting I Love My Classroom, to realizing that I still like to talk ALOT (and have people talk back), to starting up the Facebook page, to learning about TPT, and seeing all the resources, to a couple of weeks ago starting up my own store on TPT.  It's been a very big year and one that I am so glad about!

I'm going to now apologize for that incredibly long run on sentence.

Best Post

I was shocked this past summer to the response this post had.  It was a Monday Made It post that I shared I did whole class writing journals as a free choice activity.  I took a random picture of the journals that I had prepped, and then the picture was pinned and pinned, and Scholastic Facebook's page mentioned it, and the little old post now has over 16,130 page views.  It still shocks me.

I honestly don't have a favorite post from the past year.  I just looked at my list of posts - all 178 of them - and each one just reminds me of the fun that we have had in my classroom.  Maybe that's the point of this linky - just remembering that the good times have more of an impact than the stressful crazy "no good very bad day" type of days.     

Best News

This past year I've had a lot of great blog moments.  There was the moment when I read my first comment on the blog, when I was nominated for my first blog award, when my first follower clicked the follow button (especially since I didn't have that as an option for months), when I was asked to be a guest on another blog...  There was the time that someone wrote me my first comment on the Facebook page, when I saw that I have 1,600 followers on Pinterest, and I got the notification that someone downloaded my first TPT freebie.  When I sold my first product it was also so exciting.  I'm thankful for all the Best News of the year.  I really feel a part of Blogland now.

Best Product

I've had a lot of fun turning on my creative side and playing around with powerpoint, clip art, and fonts.  I don't know if this is my best product - I've had nice reviews about so much stuff - but I'm most proud of this last thing that I made up.  I can see how I can use things in my own classroom, and it makes me feel empowered since I'm not automatically turning to a teacher supply store to buy another book of materials.  It's nice to know that I am capable of making something functional and cute.

Best Freebie

Since I'm new to TPT I'm still getting used to actually seeing how many people download something.  Before TPT I was giving out stuff through Google Docs.  I don't have anything against it, it's just hard to keep track of everything that I've created on the blog...  These Elf Task cards I created when I was trying to incorporate Filling a Bucket during those couple of weeks before Christmas vacation.  It was a Sunday night and I saw that Classroom Freebies would be having their Manic Monday the next day and I really wanted to participate.  It was my first attempt at clip art and I survived.  Then I received good feedback and it made my day again.

The best freebie moments are being able to "show" something I made on Facebook and people actually wanting a copy of it - there is always a moment of thinking whether something is good enough, my own self confidence issues come roaring up...  I like to share so as I've been uploading to TPT I also post the link to my page and offer it up to the first people that can respond.  It makes me happy that it can help someone!  

Best & Brightest Blogs I've Found

I could name a ton of blogs right now but then I'm afraid of someone getting their feelings hurt.  Instead, if you are reading this on a real computer (instead of your kindle or phone) look on the right side to the blogs I'm following and push "see all".  It will show you my list of the blogs I follow - I update the list.  If you have a blog and aren't on my list please comment and let me know.  There is a good chance that I don't know about you yet and I would love to read about you.

Merry Christmas!