November 29, 2012

Secret Santa Holiday Gift Guide 2012

Now that you have found the perfect gift for your teacher, it’s time to find a Secret Santa gift!  Whether a bunch of your friends are getting together to do a Secret Santa exchange, or it’s a co-worker tradition- here are some ideas for finding a gift that will make everyone wish you were their Secret Santa!


Be Tech-Savvy:


Pop Phone, $35, Urban Outfitters


Go back in time with this cool phone handset.  It's the one gift guaranteed to make even 2000s kids feel nostalgic about the 80s. Available in virtually every color of the rainbow, hipster and non-hipster friends a like will appreciated this smart phone add-on when they're on-the-go.








Coffee Cup Power Inverter $29.99, ThinkGeek
Keep your secret Santa and all their road-trip buddies plugged into Twitter with this amazingly functional gift. It's probably the only gift that is actually meant to stay in your car, unlike that bad sweater your Grandma got you that's been sitting in your trunk for months.








Be Unique:

Name a Star Gift Box $24.99, Gifts.com
How cool would it be to be known for eternity? Get your Secret Santa the only gift that will literally last forever--their own star! You don't even have to be a sci-fi fan-boy to appreciate probably the only gift you'll ever receive that is guaranteed to out live you.

















Insight Peace Sign Candle $24.00, Urban Outfitters


Candles haven't been this cool since... well, since a really long time ago. For the laid back guy or gay in your group a hippy-inspired, peace and love candle might just be the way to go. It goes well with Justin Bieber shrine on your best friend's computer desk. 






















Be Delicious:


Twelve Teas of Christmas $19.99, Gifts.com]
Hot Chocolate on a Stick $15.00, Fredflare.com

Who wouldn't want a tasty treat for the holidays? These affordable, gourmet treats are a small lap of luxury on a budget that any Secret Santa can afford. While small in size, they're the only ones on this list that we recommend putting in your mouth.



Good luck and just hope you end up with a cool gift like these! Happy Holidays!!

Don't see anything here you like? Leave us a comment or tell us on Facebook what your Best Secret Santa Gifts for 2012 are!



November 28, 2012

How to Set up a Picaboo Yearbooks Account

We're here to help inspire you and to help you get started with Picaboo Yearbooks.  In our new series, we'll show you how to create amazing yearbooks with just a few easy steps.


Up first in our tutorial series is "How to Set up a Picaboo Yearbook Account"







If you have any questions, leave a comment or ask us on our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/PicabooYearbooks!

November 21, 2012

How to Use our Free Web App to Create an Awesome Yearbooks....

Find out how to create some great yearbooks in the videos after the jump!

These videos give an A - Z overview of how to use our Free Web app to create a great looking yearbook.


November 19, 2012

Best Gift Ideas for Your Teacher in 2012


It’s that time of the year!  It’s time to search for the perfect holiday gift.  But, what do you get for your teacher?  You realize it is not as easy as it seems.  Here are some great, original ideas that teachers will be sure to love and use!



1. Gift Cards

Available almost anywhere
Before you say "that's lame" consider this: most teachers dip into their own paychecks to buy classroom supplies and other materials meant to help you learn! Gift cards are a great way to treat your teacher to things they might otherwise forgo on their not-so-high teacher salaries, like Starbucks, a night out at the movies, or a dinner out at their favorite restaurant.


2. A Bubble Wrap Calendar

Available from UrbanOutfitters.com

Teaching is often times hard, stressful work. Give your teacher the gift of simple joy by giving them an interactive calendar made up of the one material that literally no one on earth can resist: bubble wrap. Sure, it's a visual representation that the school year is nowhere close to being over, but that's just like your opinion or whatever, man.

3. An Endless Edges Brownie Pan

Available from Amazon.com
You can say it's for them, but it's really for you. Deliver this pan, wrapped up with your favorite Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate brownies and your class room will likely be getting a delicious treat in about 1-3 days. The best part of this pan isn't that it semi-resembles that Pipeline game you used to play in 2nd grade but that every piece is literally the best part about a pan of brownies.




4. A Nerdy Tie
Available from Think Geek

Believe it or not, your teacher probably used to be "with it".  Indulge them in the nostalgia of their youths by getting them this nerd-tastic 8 bit tie that reminds them of glory days when video games were about saving princesses, when you could walk around as a donkey throwing barrels and no one made a joke about the banana stand and your idea of strategy was stacking blocks for hours.


5. Vintage Books

These guys are available on Etsy, but you can find them at any thrift store!


 No one expects you to know this, but there's a huge movement in the design world to finish off modern spaces with delicate, vintage decor. Feminine space? Works for it. Man Cave? Works for it. Desk decoration? Totally works for it. Vintage books are super versatile and look great under every day items like pen holders and vases or stacked together on bookcases. The best part is most of these old books are cheap and it's often pretty easy to find a subject on English, Math or Reading. The added bonus is you can pretty much guarantee that  it'll be a unique gift they'll love.


6. A Survival Kit


The Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Kit is available on Amazon.com

Because you never know when a zombie apocalypse might break out (I'm looking at you, Atlanta) or when your teacher might need to survive their way through the most hostile environment ever. Failing that, at least it's handy to have around. 


Gone are the days when teachers love getting apples. An Apple iPod Shuffle? Probably, but not a red or green edible object. The interests of teachers today has evolved and if you're struggling to come up with a better-than-average gift, and something that they'll actually use this list is for you. 

November 15, 2012

Yearbook Superlatives: Twilight Edition


With the release of Breaking Dawn: Part 2 tomorrow, Nov. 16, 2012, it is wouldn't be that weird to revolve our lives around vampires for the next week, (or two). As most Twilight Fans know, the Cullen Family and their significant others may have not been the most popular group at Forks High School, however they were certainly well-known. 



Here’s a list of the superlatives that they would have been voted for in the Forks High School yearbook:





Biggest Heart Throb – Edward Cullen
He’s dreamy, mysterious, attractive… and also unavailable. The girls of Fork’s High School swoon over Edward, and how can they not? He’s everything a girl wants, despite the fact that he’s a vampire and feeds on human and animal blood. Bella, however, doesn’t seem to mind.

Cattiest – Rosalie Hale
Rosalie is the girl you don’t want to mess with. On the outside, she gives off a tough, thick-hearted persona, while Bella comes to find out she is everything but.

Most Talkative – Alice Cullen
If there’s one Cullen to voice their opinion, it’s Alice. She’s always planning, giving advice, or just trying to spark up conversation with anyone who will listen. Whether this has anything to do with her ability to see the future, we’ll never know.

Most Athletic or Class Clown – Emmett Cullen
Known as the most strong and adept fighter of the Cullen’s, it would be fitting for Emmett to be voted as the most athletic and in shape at Fork’s High School. Emmett is also a jokester, that’s why it would be a toss-up between the two.

Biggest Wallflower – Jasper Hale
Jasper isn’t much a talker. You can find him usually hanging on the outskirts of his friends, or usually only talking to Rosalie or Emmett.

What do you think? Leave your take in the comments!

November 12, 2012

How to Break Up and Still Be Friends


Relationships can be tricky.  Especially if you are in one with someone you genuinely care about.  Everything seems perfect, but you suddenly find yourself realizing that you have no future with that person.  What do you do?  You still want that person in your life.  How can you break up with them, and still be friends?  


Here's a few tips to help you get through this awkward situation.



The Break -Up:

Ease into it.  Make sure you are not leading the person on one minute- then breaking it off the next minute.  Slowly distance yourself from them each day.  That way, the person will eventually get the hint that things are changing in your relationship.  Don’t drag it out too long though, because if you do, it can backfire on you.

 Break up in-person.  Obviously, the best way to break up with someone is in-person.  If you do it any other way, your bf/gf will automatically become mad at you and you can kiss your friendship goodbye.

Take your time.  Don’t rush the break up.  Think about what you are going to say.  Gather all of your feelings, and speak from the heart.  You don’t want to come across negative, or say something the wrong way.  Plan out your speech.

Be honest.  If you end up lying, your bf/gf will catch on and realize they will not be able to trust you enough to be friends.  Tell them how you feel, without placing blame on them.  Try and steer the blame on yourself without using the typical “it’s not you- it’s me” line.  Use something like, “I need to focus on myself to become a better person”. Or, “I need some time alone to figure out where my life is going”.

Deal with their response.  Make sure you understand their feelings- they may be angry and lash out.  Do not make it into a fight.  Stand your ground humbly, and stick to your decision.  Of course they are going to be angry or extremely hurt, but eventually time will cure it.  Be there for them as a friend and keep reassuring them that it is something you need to do “for yourself”.


The Transition to Friendship:

Give them time.  Time will heal the broken heart.  Depending on how intense your relationship was, it can take days, months, or even years.  Just be patient and understanding.
Keep an open communication.  Do not constantly contact them, but make sure you don’t completely lose them.  Allow them to contact you whenever they want, but keep the conversation “friends only”.  Start off slow (facebook, twitter, txt), then ease onto communicating through the phone.  If you feel that enough time has passed, you can start communicating a little more each day to grow a friendship.

Don’t jump into another relationship.  If you start dating someone else as soon as you terminated your previous relationship, that person is going to feel a big slap in the face.  If you truly want to be friends with your ex, dating someone else right after you ending things is the worst thing you can do.

Change of scenery.  Instead of going to the places you always went to with your ex, try new things.  This will help you avoid the awkwardness of running into your ex all the time.  Going to parties where you know he/she will be there can stir up drama and ruin a potential friendship.
X out the word EX.  Once you have built a friendship, start referring he/she as a ‘friend’, not an ‘ex’.  Eventually, and hopefully, it will become normal that you two are just friends.


Each relationship is different, so it is up to you to judge the timing of things and how exactly you need to deal with it.  These tips can be very helpful to you if you try them in the right way.  Good luck and happy break-up!


November 08, 2012

Breaking Tradition: 4 Awesome High School Classes


With American history, chemistry, calculus, and other classes dominating student’s schedules, it is safe to say high school classes can get definitely sometimes become unoriginal and boring.


Here’s a collection of classes offered at high schools from across the country that are designed to help you step outside of the box, and make your school days a little more exciting.

“Reading Like a Historian”
Photo Credit:
http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artwork/?id=31991
This class, offered at Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco, CA, is anything but your typical history class. Students aren’t lectured and do not use textbooks – the class is designed to teach them how to ask questions and analyze documents, just like a historian would.

“The Art of the Graphic Novel”
Offered at Newton North High School in Newton, MA, this class is one of the five new courses offered as an English elective and devotes it’s entire curriculum to the world of graphic arts.

“Fashion Fundamentals”
Sacred Heart-Griffin High School students in Springfield, Illinois have the opportunity to step away from their textbooks and pencils and step into the glamorous world of fashion for a class period. The course topics ranges from construction and design to topics like fashion etiquette and how to make it in the fashion world.

“Agriculture Class”
At Pawnee High School in Pawnee, Illinois, students have the chance to raise chicks and take field trips to farms to observe all the different varieties of animals. For those truly interested in agriculture, it is a great opportunity for them to get real world experience. 

November 05, 2012

Coolest High School Mascots


Every school has a mascot to represent them and bring a sense of pride to the community.  It’s a fun way of showing school spirit.  Most are usually some sort of animal, yet some can be something completely random and fun.  Schools have been getting creative in choosing a mascot to represent them.  We've compiled a short list of some of the coolest high school mascots.



Orofino High School Maniacs- IDAHO


Wouldn’t you be scared if you had to face off the Maniacs?!










New Milford High School Green Wave Man- CONNECTICUT


How cool is this Green Wave Man? SO cool!  I have never seen a mascot like this one before.










Austin High School Mr. Maroo- TEXAS




The name Mr. Maroo was derived from the team colors: maroon and white.  He is an extremely likeable poof ball with a beanie, ballet shoes and huge eye balls.  This is a random choice, but very unique for a mascot.



Morrilton High School Devil Dog- ARKANSAS








This mean looking animal is known as the Devil Dog.  It was inspired by a gargoyle that looked like a dog found on the steps of the school.  Looks pretty intimidating!



Last, but not least, our personal favorite:

Long Beach Polytechnic High School JackRabbits- CALIFORNIA



The JackRabbits of Long Beach, CA are extremely entertaining.  They not only look really cool and funny, but they get the crowd going with their amazing dance routines.  Here is video from youtube of the JackRabbits doing what they do best at the football game: 

Can you find a better mascot than these guys?!

Remember when being the high school mascot was ‘un-cool’?  Well after seeing these unique mascots, I wouldn’t mind dressing up as one and busting a move like the JackRabbits at all of the games!














November 01, 2012

Tales from a Teacher: Meet Jackie


 Jackie once was an average elementary school student, and is now an amazing elementary school teacher.  In this interview Jackie describes what her life was like in elementary school compared to how it is today- teaching at her elementary school.



What was your elementary school life like?
- When I was in elementary school I was a struggling student.  My reading level was low and in math I was average.  It was a constant battle going to school.  The administration wanted me in special education but I refused it.  They insisted that I take speech instead.  I was in sixth grade attending speech class. 

Did you enjoy going to school?
- Yes, I loved going to school.  Just making new friends and all the fun activities. 

How were your grades?
- I was a struggling reader and average in all other subjects.

What was your favorite subject?
- My favorite subject was Mathematics.

What did you categorize yourself as? (jock, nerd, loner, popular, unique)
- I was well liked by everyone.  I wouldn't consider myself popular though. 

Did you play any sports or activities while you were in high school?
-There was a program called after school sports.  It was so much fun.  We would play all kinds of sports.

Who was your favorite teacher/ Which teacher influenced you the most?
- Mrs. Quarttuccio was my favorite teacher.  She influenced me by making the lessons fun but we were still learning!

When did you realize that you wanted to be a teacher?
- I always wanted to be a teacher since I was young.  I would play school at home.  I had a six foot chalk board and would teach my friends and stuffed animals.

What do you love most about teaching?
-  It is so rewarding when a child understands what you are teaching them. 

What is your biggest struggle in being a teacher?
- I would like to dedicate more time on a topic that my students are struggling with.  There is not enough time in a day to study all of these subjects.

What age group do you like teaching the most? The least?
- Ages 5-11 I like to teach the most.-Ages 11 and up I like to teach the least.

In what ways is elementary school different today than when you were in elementary school?
-There are better reading, writing, and math programs.  The technology increased.  Now there are common core standards, which are standards that apply for the entire country.

Does the school look any different than when you went to school there?
-Yes, there are pictures of the students all along the wall.  There are new faces teaching and a new principal.

What made you want to teach at your old elementary school?
-I know exactly where everything is in the building and it makes me feel like home.  It is a wonderful experience being on the other side as a teacher now.

Do you teach with any of your past teachers?
- Yes, they are eager to help me with any questions I have.  It is an excellent experience when the cooperating teachers are helpful.

Does it feel weird teaching in a school that you were once a student of?
-No, I can relate to the students.  I was once in their shoes and would be able to help them the best I could in any situation. 
If you can change anything about the school you teach in, what would it be?
-I would not change anything.

It is truly inspirational to be able to do what you love every day.  Jackie is a dedicated teacher to her students and will continue doing what she loves for as long as she can.  Do you ever wonder what it would be like to one day teach at a school you once attended?