27th birthday

Tomorrow is my 27th birthday. I haven't been very happy about this birthday. I haven't made any plans & I really don't want to. I really thought I would have it all together by this point in my life! I got into the shower and started to cry about all that has gone wrong, but all I could think about was all that had gone right! So, here is my list of the 27 things that have gone right!
1. I have a beautiful, perfect, 5 year old daughter.
2. I have a wonderful, supporting boyfriend.
3. Even though sometimes they get on my last nerve... I have a pretty great family!
4. Joe's family loves me & accepts me as one of their own.
5. I have a great job.
6. I have a nice house over my head.
7. I have great friends who support me in everything I do.
8. I have great work collegues and friends.
9. I am in good health.
10. My car gets me from point A to point B.....most days.
11. I have a batchelor's and master's degree...no one can ever take that away.
12. I have all the things I need.
13. I live in a beautiful area.... Arkansas is really pretty!
14. I have a sense of humor about most things.
15. I enjoy a good prank, either doing them or having them done to me.
16. I get along well with others (unless you piss me off....you know who you are).
17. I can read & enjoy doing it....everyday!
18. Olivia goes to a great school.
19. Joe has a really great job, that he is good at.
20. I am pretty creative.
21. I have matured a lot from when I first moved to Fayetteville and started going to school.
22. I have a broad world view (I think).
23. I am comfortable in my own skin.
24. I laugh everyday.
25. I have a few hobbies that I am getting better & better at.
26. I try not to judge people ( I don't know what their story is or what they are going through).
27. I love the news & being informed! ( I guess, I am thankful for the news.)

So those are 27 things I have going right in my life!

During the next year there are still things I want to work on!
1. Saving money
2. Getting fit & in better health!!!
I will keep you posted on how I am doing on these two goals!!!

Elf on the Shelf, Our Holiday Tradition

As stated before, I LOVE ELF ON THE SHELF!!!! This is how our family starts our Elf on the Shelf tradition every year.

 

 When it starts to get close to Christmas time (or whenever my daughter starts to get "that holiday spirit") we right a letter to Santa asking him to send us back our elf on the shelf. Our elf's name is Tootsie. My daughter wrote the letter all by herself.

 

 

She told me what she wanted to say and I sounded out the words for her.

 

 

It says: "Dear Santa, I love Tootsie. Will you send him back? (I) Love, Olivia.

She was so proud of herself that she wrote the letter all by herself!

 

 

When she was done, we put it in the mailbox and sent it to Santa!

 

 

I will post more about Tootsie after he comes to our house!!!

Stress Relief

I am a teacher. Sometimes, I become stressed beyond belief! I try to relieve my stress anyway I can. Today, I relieved my stress in a whole new way. I sharpened pencils! Oh my! What a teacher thing to say! I know I'm boring! I bought this awesome new pencil sharpener & I LOVE it!

 

There is a little blue light that comes on when the pencil is sharp.

 

 

I know, I'm a dork! But, you have no idea how awesome it was to sit at the back the room & just grind away on pencils.

 

 

I'm saying all of that to say this: sometimes you have to slow down & take pleasure in the little things in life...even if it is just sharpening pencils!!!

Birthday Elf on the Shelf!!!

I love everything about Elf on the Shelf!!!! I am a second grade teacher & received an e-mail about a free Elf on the Shelf for my classroom. WAIT WHAT!?! My two favorite things?!?!?! Free & Elf on the Shelf! I thought I had died and gone to heaven!!!!! When I received my package I was blown away! Not only had the company sent me a free Elf on the Shelf, but they also sent me a free Birthday Elf on the Shelf!

 

I never even knew this existed!!!

 

 

The Birthday Elf on the Shelf comes with a cupcake outfit for the Elf on the Shelf that we already have. It also comes with a book! The book talks about Santa letting your Elf out for your birthday! It's super cute and super fun!!!

 

I will update when we use it for my daughter's birthday.

Dr. Seuss Classroom

This year I decided to go with a Dr. Seuss theme for my second grade classroom. I had so much fun with it!!! 

Here are some pictures:

 

Front door:

 

 

This boarder was bought at Target for a dollar for 15ft!!!!

 

 

 

I like to think that I am  "super organized" at work. Here is a big Rubbermaid drawer set. I printed off labels for the days of the week, copy, grade and file and put them on different colored paper.

 

This is my behavior chart. As a grade level, we decided to have a clip chart. This was my clip chart in keeping with the Dr. Seuss theme.

 

 

 

I try to delegate responsibilities to the students (work smarter, not harder). Here is my Dr. Seuss inspired job chart

 

 

 

 

This new school year has been fun and exciting and I hope to post more about it!

 

 

 

 



 

One Dish,Three ingredient, Fiesta Zucchini

Once again, it's garden season! We don't have a garden (I have the black thumb of death when it comes to plants), but our friends and family do!! We have been given plenty of squash and zucchini. Fiesta zucchini is a favorite at our house and it's super easy!!! Only three ingredients, one dish and no baking involved!!!

Here is what you need:

• A microwave safe baking dish
• Saran Wrap
• 1 large zucchini
• 12 oz of salsa
• 1 cup of cheese (I used a taco blend)

 

 

Here is what you do:

 

1. Wash and cut the zucchini. I cut the zucchini in half first (hot dog style) then sliced up the rest.
2. Put zucchini in microwave safe baking dish and cover with Saran wrap.
3. Cook zucchini in the microwave. I cooked the zucchini for about 6 minutes. I would cook for 2 minutes and stir. Cook time varies on how thick the zucchini is cut.
4. Drain water from zucchini
5. Add salsa to zucchini
6. Cook for 2 more minutes
7. Before serving, add cheese to the top.  Cook for one more minute, just to melt the cheese
8. ENJOY!!!!!!

 

 



Chores for a 4 year old... a system that works for us!

I came to the realization it was time to teach Olivia some responsibility. I decided to "pay" her for helping me out around the house. She will get a quarter for cleaning the living room, her room or for randomly helping me without being asked. When she cleans the living room, I give her a quarter. When she cleans her room, I give her a quarter. By doing this, she can earn at least a dollar a day. Her reward is immediate. She has a jar she puts all of her money in when she gets it. She loves taking her money out and seeing how many quarters she has!

Once a week, we go to the store and she gets to pick out what she wants to buy with her money.  She took a purse in the store and got to shop around. She decided to get a pack of watermelon gum. I was shopping this day also, I put all of my things on the conveyor belt. We got the little divider bar and put it between our purchases and she put her gum on the conveyor belt too. I had to help her count out her money but other than that, she did all of it herself. She talked to the cashier, waited on her change and got her receipt. She got some change back and I told her to keep it.  Next week she might be able to get a toy or more candy. When we were leaving she said "This is some pretty big kid stuff".

When we got in the car she was so excited!  She said "I can't wait to tell daddy about what I bought today with my money!".  Everyday since then she has wanted a piece of her gum. She is so proud. 

On another day, she still had some money and she wanted a sonic drink. She told me what she wanted and we rehearsed what to say a few times. I let her push the button and she ordered her drink. Again, the only thing I helped her with was counting out the money.

Giving her immediate reward (quarters) for helping me around the house and letting her choose what she wants to buy gives her complete ownership of her chores and rewards. I haven't had any trouble getting her to clean her room or pick up her toys in the living room. In the past, this was always a fight and I ended up doing it all. By having her pick up the living room and her room every night, things don't accumulate to the point she can't handle it. This system is working very well for us in my house and I recommend trying this with your preschool aged child.

Cowboy Potatoes

I like to make what I call "Cowboy Potatoes". They go well with just about anything and they are super easy to make. Here is my recipe:

- 3 potaotes washed, not peeled
-2 T butter
-3 T minced garlic

1. Grease pan/ crock pot

2.Wash & Dice potatoes

3. Add butter and garlic

4. Stir

5. In oven: cook at 350 for a hour, or until the potatoes are tender
    In crockpot: cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until the potatoes are tender

6, Optional: add some cheese to the top

 

Step 2

 

 

 

Step 3

 

 

Step 4

 

 

 

Step 5

 

 

 

Cowboy potatoes are super easy and the whole family will enjoy them.

 

 

Summer Fun

My daughter just got back from a week with her grandma. In my case, grandparents are always trying to have a jam packed fun week whenever they get the grand kids. They plan something special for everyday. I got to thinking, shouldn't I be trying to do the same?!?!?! I am lucky to have the whole summer off to spend with my daughter and we should spend it right!! So, here is my attempt to do something fun everyday this summer!

1. Homemade pizza night

 

 

2. Paint rocks for the flower garden*

 

 

 3. Plant a flower garden

Olivia came home from her Grandma's and had made 4 flower pots.

We got potting soil and flower seeds, filled her plants and had enough to plant the flower beds around the house!

 

 

4. Let her cook her favorite meal

Pigs in a blanket

 

 

5. Barbie is moving came through our area.

We had to go! It was so much fun!*

 

 

6. Go to the local water park

 

7. Play nail salon*

 

 

8. Go on a boat trip

 

 

9. Go to a cave

 

 

10. Have a pick nick at the lake

 

 

11. Go to art day at the local library*

 

 

12. Go to a petting zoo*

 

 

13. Go to a swimming party

 

 

14. Let her earn her own money and then spend it on what she wants

There will be a separate blog entry about this one...

 

 

15. Go see a dance team*

 

 

16. Play beauty shop*

(we fixed her hair a different way & she loved it!!)

 

 

17.  Have a tea party*

 

 

 

 

18. Go see a movie

 

 

19. Have a dress up day*

 

20.  Go on a road trip

 

 

21.  Sew a dress

 

 

22.  Have a talent show*

 

 

23.  Go to a rodeo

(after bedazzling your own shirt and hat)

 

 

24. Have milkshakes with friends

 

25. Go get a snow cone

 

 

26. Turn 5

 

 

27. Have a campfire, make smores and tell spooky stories*

 

 

28. Get a new haircut

 

 

29. Visit a fish hatchery*

 

 

30. Go to a "Big Time" water park

 

 

 

31. Meet your favorite princess!!

 

 

32. Invite a friend over to make and decorate cookies*

 

 

33. Go bowling

 

 

34. Go to an indoor play ground

 

 

35. Go to a theme park

 

 

36. Play board games*

 

 

37. Visit a aquarium

 

 

38. Start dance classes

 

 

39. Go to a circus

 

 

40. Visit a bounce house

 

 

*the things noted with an * means we did these things for free. I checked our local library and other community events that were free.

 

This was a super fun, super cheap summer! Most of the things listed above cost less than$20.00.