Were You There???

Oh, The Fun We Had...

...at the Southern California Kindergarten Conference and 1st ever Bloggers' Bash!

What a GREAT weekend!  

BUT FIRST:  I want to remind my followers that I have extended by 20% of our ENTIRE TPT STORE through TODAY only, March 2.  Click HERE to see my TPT store.  And Happy Birthday, to Dr. Seuss!

Prepping For The FUN:

For me, the weekend all started on Thursday.  After teaching the morning, I drove to Pasadena and got to work helping the So CA Kindergarten Conference team get ready to welcome over 1100 teachers to the conference.  We filled over 1000 goodie bags, made signs, and got organized.

Filling over 1000 goodie bags for our conference attendees.

The Pre-Conference With Deanna Jump:

The conference began on Friday with a pre-conference.  Deanna Jump presented a full day session called "Driving Through The Common Core" and 450 teachers got to share the day with her at this sold out event.  

After assisting at the pre-conference, it was time to set up my KFUNdamentals booth for the conference.  Thank goodness, dear hubby came to help set up and work at the booth.  Here he is talking with one of our SCKC committee members and those cute school buses in the background are from my classroom.

Hubby, Ken talking about salmon fishing with SCKC member, Carol.  

The bloggers began to arrive and we filled the goodie bags for the Bash.

Prepping the goodie bags for the Bloggers' Bash.

Let The Conference Begin:

I was scheduled to present on English Language Arts at 4:00 PM.  My session was called "Phonics, & Sight Words, & Writing, Oh MY!" and over 300 teachers attended.  I really missed getting to present with Sarah, but she was a bit busy having a baby and was not able to attend the conference.  :o(

Phonics, & Sight Words, & Writing, OH MY!  

Then, it was back to the booth where my daughter helped me meet & greet conference attendees...

Super busy at the booth.

We were super busy at the booth, but I had to gear up for the Bloggers' Bash that evening.

Fun, fun, fun!  We had a sold out event with 150 attendees!  

Time For The Bloggers' Bash!

Heidi, from Heidi's Songs, was our M.C. and she was GREAT!

You can see all of Heidi's great products by clicking HERE.

Here is Channon, the executive director of the SCKC, at the Bash.

We enjoyed our dinner and got to hear each of the bloggers present for about 3 minutes about themselves and their blog.  

I had just celebrated my 1 year "blogaversary" with the youngest blog in the group, so I decided to have everyone sing my "Not Your Same Old Days of The Week Song" which is FREE on my TPT store.  Just click HERE to grab a copy.  We all joined in clapping and singing the song to the tune of "Fridays I'm In Love" by the Cure.  Even the waiter got into the groove!  :)  

The gift baskets created by the bloggers.

Then, there were the give-aways!  We gave gift certificates to our TPT stores and we each created a bag, binder, box, or basket filled with goodies from our TPT stores for attendees to win.  

Here is the basket I made filled with all of the items from my
Beginning of the Year Bundle on TPT.

Freebies In Our Ebook:

Everyone left with a great goodie bag filled with more freebies.  It included an Ebook filled with FREEBIES!  All you have to do is click here: I WANT THE EBOOK.
Then, click at the bottom of each page to grab your FREEBIE.  Please follow each blog as you visit it.  :)

And I gave each blogger a "McBlogger's" mini burger made from vanilla wafers and peppermint patties.  

Afterwards, the bloggers socialized in the hotel bar and continued the fun!  I didn't get back to my hotel room until after midnight!

The FUN Continues The Next Day:

I had to be at the "Teacher Award" presentation at 7:30 AM!  Yikes!  No time for breakfast until later!  We presented a teacher with $1000 for her music project so she can purchase instruments for her school.  SCKC gives a $1000 grant to a teacher each year.  If you are interested in applying for next year, you can find more information HERE.  The deadline to apply is usually in January and if you are awarded the grant, it comes with a FREE registration to the So CA K. Conference the following year!  

Back to the busy booth!

Saturday was filled with tons of attendees shopping at the booths and fun-filled sessions.  I presented again at 4:00 on math.  My session was called "Addition Magician, Subtraction Reaction" and all 180 teachers got to make a Rekenrek, a wonderful number rack which allows students to quickly see (or subtilize) how many beads they are working with because the beads are arranged in groups of 5 by color.  You can find out lots more information about Rekenreks and how to use them HERE.

Addition Magician, Subtraction Reaction!

How to make a Rekenrek.

And back to the busy booth!

The event was over by 4:30 and we were on the rainy road by 5:30.  We really need the rain here in So CA, so no complaints, but I've gotta tell you, us So CA people don't know how to deal with rain!  We can't manage umbrellas, we don't navigate puddles, and let's not even get into driving in the rain!  There were more accidents than ever!  

So, now that we are all home and cozy while it's still gray and dreary outside, we can take advantage of my extended sale on my TPT store.  I have extended the 20% off for TODAY ONLY.  So, Happy Shopping!  

And I'll see you all tomorrow!

Palma :)