Monday, July 1, 2013

Lots 'O Linkies!!!

It has been a few days since my last post...I have been sick since Saturday, not fun, and I finally got Photoshop...YIPPEE!!! The only problem, is that it is for my PC laptop...which I haven't used in 2 years because I have a Mac....that means that ALL of my fonts were on my Mac and I had to get them moved. Not only was I doing that, but I have been playing with everything Photoshop and going to bed REALLY REALLY late....could be why I am sick (oops!) 

Anyway, today I am linking up for the first time with Collaboration Cuties for their Must Read Mentor Texts Linky. 



I only have one today because I found that most of the others I read have already been posted. There are a lot, but the one I chose is so GREAT!!! I am sure most of you have heard about Pete the Cat, but if you haven't, your students will love it!! 


From Amazon:
Pete the Cat is back—and this time he’s rocking in his school shoes. Pete discovers the library, the lunchroom, the playground, and lots of other cool places at school. And no matter where he goes, Pete never stops moving and grooving and singing his song . . . because it’s all good.

This is such a great book to get the kids up, moving, and by the end, they will be singing along. Check out the MP3 version of the book by clicking play below. If it doesn't work, you can visit The Pete the Cat Website.


I think it would be fun to read the book or let the kids listen to it, but I warn you, they will want to listen to it over and over and over again. After you are finished, you can either take a picture of all of their first day shoes and let them write about what they like to do in their shoes at school on their first day, or you can let them draw a picture of their shoes. You can use the freebies below to make a class book if you would like!




I hope these work for all of you. I was trying to figure out how to attach them through Google Docs, but it wouldn't work, so I just had to save them as a JPEG. If you know how to do it and can share with me, I would greatly appreciate it!!! I think I have done it before, but now I can't remember or Google Docs has updated since then...not sure which one. It is probably me and I'm going to blame it on being sick...:)

I am also linking up with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made it!!!


I am using my Pete the Cat  FREEBIES above, since it has ended up taking me forever to figure out the switching of the computers!!!! I was going to upload my first ever digital scrapbook paper, but maybe I will wait until next week for that and hopefully by then I will have several other papers to add to it!! 

Finally, I am also linking up with Flying into First Grade for her Let's Get Acquainted Linky Party!!!



This time around it is Tic-Tac-Toe and I have decided to do the diagonal....

I went to _____________________ college and a favorite memory

I went to Texas A&M University....can I get a WHOOP!!!!, and I would have to say one of the most fondest memories I have are all of the times I spent with my besties. I loved going out dancing and just having a good time. We always had something to eat and there was always a band that we needed to see. I also met my husband at A&M. It was my last year and we met in Horticulture class...fun times. I don't really remember any bad times in college, compared to "real" life problems, college problems have long been forgotten:) 

 


My Favorite School Memory as a Kid

That is tough...I feel like I was a kid sooooo long ago, but I would have to say being with my best friend, Jocelyn, who lived up the street from me. Funny thing, we didn't both have skates, so we shared a pair. No, we did not take turns, we each got one....hahahahaha. We were the BEST one skate skaters around, not to mention the only ones. We also used to have recorder concerts for our parents. We were learning the how to play the recorder in our schools and we would get our parents together and set chairs up outside and play our recorders for them...they were so kind. That must have been torture:/

Hobbies

I love doing EVERYTHING....I'm not kidding. I love crafting, sewing, baking,  blogging, selling Scentsy (the new scent Watermelon Mint is to die for), Selling Jamberry Nails (which are amazing!!!), playing with my sweet Ava, watching movies at home with my hubby, reading, practicing writing, learning to draw, learning to work on Photoshop, and sooooo much more. I really don't know how I find time to do it all. I just can't imagine which one I would get rid of if I had to.

As I mentioned earlier, I have started my first ever digital kit. It is going to be an ocean theme, not sure why I chose that, but it just happened. So far, I have made 1 paper...hahhahaha. It is time consuming, especially since I have never worked with Photoshop before. If anybody know how to do clipart in Illustrator or Photoshop, I would love a mini tutorial or some tips. I am also looking for people that would be interested in previewing my work for me or trying it out before I post it to TPT. If you are interested just leave me a comment below. 

I also mentioned a while back that I would be changing this blog up a bit, since I am now going to be a librarian. I am looking for things I could do weekly that people would be interested in reading about every week. I was thinking an author of the month, Fiction Friday...etc,. What are your thoughts? 

One more thing, I was wanting to start a linky for the school year that would have something to do with lovely moments at school...I know, from my previous job that it was very hard to always find the joy, but by blogging and thinking about it, I was able to find joy in things that normally I would not have. So, I thought it would be nice to recap the week and blog about something lovely that happened in the week. What do you think about that? 

I would love any input or suggestions from all of my readers....I appreciate each and every one of you!!!

That's it for me today. As always, until we chat again, make every moment lovely!!!

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Friday, June 28, 2013

Home again home again and a linky!!!

I am finally home to my house!!!! I am so excited and so was my baby girl. She could hardly wait to see her little "Gussy Bear", our chihuahua (btw, he can't stand her, bless her heart). She wanted him to sleep with her so bad tonight and he just wouldn't do it. I am so excited about spending time with my husband this weekend, then he is gone starting Monday for a conference. It's ok though, I will be by myself for 3 days because he is taking my little girl to stay with his parents....I can hardly wait I am so sad:(

Today I am linking up with Halle from Across the Hall in 2nd for a fun linky....



It's all about beauty basics this week and this is perfect for me:) I have one and only one tonight because I just recently fell in love with Jamberry Nails!!! If you haven't heard of them, you really need to check them out!! They are the newest and greatest nail craze!! There are hundreds of fund designs and if you can't find a design you like, you can design your own...WHAT??? They last for up to 2 weeks on your fingernails and 4 weeks or more on your toenails. This is so fantastic because I have a little one that makes it impossible to get to the nail salon. So they are easy and way affordable, since one whole sheet can do your fingernails and toenails twice....that is AMAZING!!! Check out some of these awesome designs....







 Oh, and did I mention that they have junior sizes too for the little ones in your life?? I know, it is getting better and better every second:) Check out these super cute Junior designs!!!





I know you will love them!!! Check them out HERE!!!!!

That's all for tonight, and until we chat again, make every moment lovely!!!


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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Wednesday link and classroom pack input

It's Wednesday and I am finally back at my mom's house after a few days away. I got to see my husband tonight for an hour or so and my sweet Ava Lee was super excited!! I will be with Mom one more day, then it will be home again home again for a little peace and quiet, at least until it is time to start packing and moving...yuck:/ 
I am joining up this Wednesday for the first time ever with Covered in Glitter and Glue for her What I'm Loving Wednesday Linky!! Here it goes....




What I am loving most about today is that I got to see my sweet hubby, even if it was for a short time, today. I have been in and out of town several times this summer and he has not been able to be with us because he is summer school principal:(/ Tomorrow is his last day and he will be picking me up after my first ever Jamberry Nails party (very excited about that...him picking me up and the Jamberry Party). 

The 2nd thing I am loving about today is that I know good things are happening in our sweet little families life and I just hope they all come together quickly!!
Those are the things I am happy about for today...I might sneak another one in later on tonight...we will see:)

I am looking to make some classroom decor packs, but I was wondering what all of you would like to see in a classroom pack? So far I am going to include; calendar numbers and headers, behavior charts, and teacher binder cover. What else would be good to include? Thanks for your help and input...I want it to be good. 

I hope all of you have a great Wednesday evening and until tomorrow and as always, make every moment lovely!!!
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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

New and exciting changes!!!

It has been so long since my last post, but I am determined to blog more now that summer is here!! First, I wanted to let all of you know that I am starting a new career adventure that I am super excited about!!! I am finally going to be a librarian!!! Yes, you heard that right, a librarian!! Not only will I be a librarian, I will be the pull out teacher for the GT students at my school!!! With that, I hope to gear this blog toward literacy for all ages...which is something I love!!!

The downfall to me becoming a librarian is that my family and I have to move once again, and it's a hard move because we love College Station so much!! The good thing about moving though, is that we will be closer to both sides of our family...come on date night:)

I know that being a librarian is going to have many stressers of its own, but I hope to embark on many hobbies I have always wanted to try, such as writing, and making teacher packets for Teachers Pay Teachers, as well as dabbling in invitations and blog creation. I am so new to all of it, but I think it is something I would really love to do.

I feel that I could be a really good writer, but there are 2 things that are so hard for me...
1. Coming up with ideas to write about
2. Finding the time to write, when I want to read, craft, make blog things, or make TPT items...

I guess it is just something I need to jump in head first and see if I can do it. I am definitely not a quitter, so it should be interesting. If anybody has any advice for me, I would greatly appreciate it!! I am going to lurk around Teachers Write 2013 for a while before I actually start, but send me some ideas so I can get writing on my first book!! I'm not sure if I want to do a children's book or a Young Adult. I look forward to hearing from all of you!!

Other things I have been thinking about are how to incorporate my new library into my blog? What should I include? What are somethings kids would like to see? What are some things teachers/librarians would like to see? I was thinking about a book spotlight, or author of the month...etc. I have thought about doing a book club for kids, but not sure how I could get that to work. I think there would have to be some kind of sign in for privacy and I don't know how to do that through blogger, it might have to take place in a Google Doc....Any ideas??? For now, the blog name will stay the same, but the contents will be geared more toward the library than to the classroom.

I am also looking into setting up a Facebook to keep in touch with people as well to talk about books!!

In other news, I am linking up with Tori's Teacher Tips in her Bloglovin' Blog Hop!!!

I hope to hear from you with great ideas and as always, make every day lovely!!!


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Claiming my blog....

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/5717249/?claim=fmbgfpsmnhz">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

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Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Let's Get Acquainted Linky!!

Scentsy Time...

Scentsy is doing GREAT stuff again... For the month of April, they offering any host that reaches $150 or more on a party a chance to buy bricks...you read that right, BRICKS...they are back for hostess only and ONLY for the month of April. 
The college warmers are still on sale, but for the month of March ONLY and you better get them while they last....there are several schools that have already been sold out for the special discounted price. Contact me for a full list of discontinued warmers. 
Finally, if you would like to join my email list, please leave me a message with your email address and I will add you. Also, please like my Facebook page for the latest Scentsy information!!! 

"Ava"ism...
Oh wow, where do I start...as most of you have learned from reading my blog, I adore my sweet little girl and she always does things that make me laugh. Today was no different. For starters, I am raising my husband's offspring, that is for sure...she LOVES television (this is not me). With that said, she wants to watch her TV all the time, which includes in the car (I know, Mother of the  Year!!!) Anyway, today was no different, we were driving around town and she was watching Lion King. We got home later and were sitting on the bed and she looked at me and licked her thumb and wiped it on my head...it took a few times and me looking at her like she was cray cray, before I realized she was saying, "like Simba, Mama!!!" She was acting out the part in the movie where they wipe the clay across Simba's forhead....hahahaha....she cracks me up....

Now for the linky!!! 

I am joining with Latoya at Flying into First Grade for this fun linky!!! The goal is to get to know other bloggers. This is the first of many more to come and I am supposed to tell you a little about myself using my initials...ALS!!! So, here we go.....

ALS

A- I love being artsy and crafty!!! I can stay on Pinterest for hours and never get bored. I am that person that will see something and not spend the money on it because I think I can make it myself...the only problem is, TIME, so things don't usually come to fruition:(

L- Laughing....I love to laugh with my baby girl, husband, sisters, friends...let's face it, anyone!!! Laughing is medicine for the soul. If I am in a bad mood, all I have to do is laugh and things are all better. 

S- Scrapbook paper...not just any scrapbook paper, but digital scrapbook paper, ok, ok, ok, I like any kind of scrapbook paper. The kicker is that I don't scrapbook, I mean I have a lot of tools to scrapbook with, but I don't scrapbook. I am more of what you would call a collector:) 

Leave me a voicemail, I would love to hear from you!!! I hope you all have a lovely day and until we chat again, make every moment lovely!!!!
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Friday, March 8, 2013

Five for Friday Linky, spring break, and more!!!

I'm posting early today since I am home with the little one...I'll start with the Five for Friday Linky party from Doodlebug Teaching! It was a crazy week before spring break.

1. We had benchmarks on Tuesday and Wednesday...wasn't as great as I had hoped, but we still have a little time to get them there!

2. We are writing writing and writing our hearts out, because when we get back from spring break, we have only 2 weeks until the real writing test...EEKK!!!

3. My baby girl is not feeling well, so I had to pick her up from daycare on the day before spring break starts...bummer

4. I had my post conference this week and it wasn't as bad as I thought...it was actually a very pleasant conversation, my scores were not what I had hoped, but I understand why they were what they were...it was a boring revising and editing lesson/boot camp...oh well, I'm not going to let it define my teaching abilities!

5. It's spring break....finally, I am supre pumped about this. I have needed this week since Christmas...hahahahaha!! I hope it is as relaxing as I have hoped!!!



"Ava"ism...
Well, as I mentioned earlier my sweet little lovebug is not feeling well:( She made it until 9am at her school, then I had to pick her up. She has been laying next to me since we got home.
I didn't get to post last night, but yesterday she made the sweetest comment to me that I just have to share. We were getting ready to go to school and I had put her in her daddy's truck and kissed her goodbye, I then leaned in to kiss her daddy and was walking off, when she screamed out, "wait mama!!" I turned around and came back and she proceeded to say, "give me a kiss mama!!" It just made my day!.

Scentsy time!!!
Today is fragrance friday!!!
If you have not had the chance to try one of Scentsy's newest scents, Jet, Set, Go...spring break is the perfect time!!! Jet. Set, Go is a combination of Brazilian orange, jungle papaya  and island vanilla. It is such a great scent and I think all of you will enjoy it!! Also, for the month of March ONLY and while supplies lasts, the college warmers are 40% off...this is spectacular!!! Visit my website to place your order today and don't forget to like my page on Facebook to stay up to date on all things Scentsy!!!

I hope you all have a lovely start to your spring break and until we chat again....make every moment lovely!!!

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Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Benchmarks and a linky!

Well, the benchmark was......HARD!!! There was so much on it that my sweet little babies struggled with and they were sooooooo upset because they couldn't get it. I hate when that happens. Tomorrow will be day 2 of benchmark testing and we will be taking the reading test....oooohhhhhh I really hope it goes better than today:) Oh my gosh....I have 3 more days until spring break and I can hardly wait!! I just found out tonight that my best friend is coming to visit me for a couple of days and she is bringing her two girls....it is going to be so much fun!!



I have linked up with 1...2...3...Teach With Me for a cool Facebook linky. I know mine is not an educational Facebook,  but my blog is a little of everything too, so I sure hope it is ok that I added my Facebook!

"Ava"ism...
I know I've said it before, but I really mean it...I absolutely love this child. Today we were leaving Sam's and she was hugging me and kissing my cheek and the she said, "I love you Mama all the time!!" I know this sounds so minuscule to some, but it NEVER gets old. I will be glad one day that I blogged about this because I am sure that one day she will not be interested in loving me or at least saying she does. So, I will hold on to this lovely moment forever.

Scentsy Time....
You better get your college warmers while you can!! I also invite all of you to join my facebook page- Abby Saunders-Scentsy Family Independent Consultant and view the video for the new limited edition buddies. They are super duper cute!!! I think I need to get one of each! If you are interested in ordering Scentsy, please visit my website and join the March Online Party!

I hope you all have a lovely day tomorrow and until we chat again...make every moment lovely!!!
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Monday, March 4, 2013

Monday...ugh and Currently!!

Today was a tough Monday, but it ended up lovely!!!
My kids were in rare form (I say that, but it was a normal, crazy Monday). I can tell though, that we are one week away from Spring break! Tomorrow we have out math benchmark and Wednesday we have our reading, so I reviewed practically all day today...I hope they were able to get something out of it! I guess tomorrow will tell!

"Ava" ism...
My husband bought Ava a t-ball set tonight and they decided to play after dinner....that child is soooo funny! I got some video of her making me hit the ball and her saying, "swing batter batter batter" Never a dull moment with this little lovebug! After t-ball, she had a bath and then came to watch a little tv. She must have gotten bored with that because she then started having a conversation with herself (one of my most favorite things to listen to). After she was finished with that, she decided to talk to Gus, too bad he will not give her the time of day. Maybe one day he will....

Scentsy time!!!
I am having a spring/summer open house on March 24!!! I really would love to have as many people there as I can!!! If you want to come, please contact me and I will get an invitation to you. If you can't make it, please visit my website and join the March Online Party. Remember the college warmers are still 40% off, but they are going fast...hurry and get yours before they are gone!!
Today is Monday Mixer....The French Martini
1 cube Sunkissed Citrus
1 cube Black Raspberry Vanilla
Tell me what you think!!!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot...Currently!! Head on over and hook up with Farley's March Currently


I hope you all have a lovely day tomorrow and until we chat again....make every moment lovely!!!

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Sunday, March 3, 2013

Sunday Funday!!!

This weekend was GREAT...we ended up visiting in-laws in San Antonio! After the looooonnnnggg week I had, it was a much needed get away (and it was topped off by a trip to Smitty's BBQ in Lockhart...now that makes my heart sing.) I am now gearing up for the last week before spring break...can I get a WHOOP???? I can hardly wait for a week off!! This week we have benchmarks on Tuesday (math) and Wednesday (reading). I sure hope my kids shine, I desperately NEED them to do GREAT!!!! I need to think of a fun thing for my kids to do over spring break to document their week...any ideas???? Oh my gosh....I am so excited, I won for the first time ever in a blogging giveaway and it is one of my favorite blogs...even better. Thank you to Tonya for the awesome products, you are AMAZING!!!

"Ava"ism....

Ava is so blessed to have such AMAZING grandparents that love her more than anything. She was so lucky to get to see both sets this weekend and was sad when she had to say her goodbyes:( It seems to get harder and harder each time for all of us. We hit a mile stone this weekend with Ava, her first haircut...EVER! it was just a trim, but it's a start (Daddy is not a big fan of cutter her hair, I don't get it, but oh well)


Sweet girl and her first haircut!!! 


I watched this Sweet video today before I left my in-laws and had a cry fest back in the room by myself. It really got me thinking just how much I take for granted with my sweet lovely child. You see, I have a terrible memory, which is the main reason I decided to change this blog to an everything blog. My Ava has started saying and doing some of the funniest things and I knew that I would forget, if I didn't document. I knew I would never get out or even keep up with a journal, so I figured blogging was the best route for me. Watching this video really brought things into perspective for me...bottom line, I need to remember and make time for everything that Ava is. She is the light of my life and I need to embrace her and hold on tight through this journey we have begun. I just hope I don't forget the most important and ordinary things about her. If anybody is actually reading this, please just enjoy the "ordinary" days that are actually extraordinary!!!

Scentsy time...
Oh my gosh, there is so much going on with Scentsy right now!! For starters, they have finally revealed the brand new Spring/Summer catalog...and it is FANTASTIC!!! Also, just Saturday, they announced that all campus warmers were 40% off...this is unheard of!!! The warmer of the month is cute and perfect for the gardner and I love the scent of the month, Hello Yellow!!! If you are wanting a FREE sample, please contact me and I will get one out ASAP!!! I have 2 basket parties ready to ship out and if you are the first to contact me, I will give you an extra hostess gift!!! I am also having a Scentsy Spring/ Summer Open House on Sunday, March 24. I would love to see you there. If  you can't make it, please join my party (March Online Party) on my website, Abby Saunders.
Finally, please "like" my facebook page, Abby Saunders-Scentsy Family Independent Consultant, follow me on Instagram- abbylane8, and follow me on Twitter-AbbySaunders1. I look forward to hooking up with all of you!!!

I hope you all have a LOVELY Monday and until we chat again...

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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Linky...oops, 2 posts in one day!!!


Thumbs up!1 more week until Spring Break!!!! I am super de duper excited about this!!!!

Thumbs down! 1 more week closer to the state assessment writing test...:( This could be a good thing because it is almost over....

Head over to The Picture Book Teacher's Edition to link up for the Thumbs up, Thumbs down linky party!!!


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long day...but a good ending!!

What a long day it was, but it ended lovely!! I had my unannounced observation today...bummer:( Oh well, at least is over, that is all I have to say about that! I did get to wear pajamas today and that was fun, but tomorrow is dress up as a character and I'm just not feeling it, so it looks like I'm not going to participate in that...but I do get to wear jeans and that makes me smile.
I was supposed to do another door today, but my friend didn't bring the stuff, it was going to be soooooo cute...Daisy Head Maisey:) Very cute book too!! My lovelies are going to be soooo excited tomorrow when we make "green eggs and ham" or at least my version, since I am against egg....yuck to me:) We are doing pudding with green food coloring and a nilla wafer, now that sounds delicious!! We have benchmarks next week and I hope and pray my lovelies perform well...it is always so nerve-racking even though you know you have taught your heart out...I am sure they will do GREAT!!! I am so glad tomorrow is Friday, just one more week until spring break and it is much needed! Finally, head on over to Tonya's Treat for Teachers and join her 700 follower giveaway!!! It is going to be a GREAT one!!!

"Ava"ism of the day!!
I was so not happy at 3:00 this morning when my little love bug decided it was time to get up, but as she laid their next to me, I just smiled and found joy in the fact that I got to have a few more hours with her!! Then I thought I was going to be really late at work, so I was going to have to pick her up and bring her back because her daddy did have to work late, but it turned out, I was able to leave at the normal time. So, I picked her up and we went on a dinner date. I love spending time with my little lovely...she has a way of always making me happy, even when I am exhausted!!

Scentsy News!!!
Well, today is the last day for the Fall/Winter catalog and 10% off...I can hardly wait to start ordering from the Spring/Summer catalog tomorrow!! There are so many GREAT things coming out this season and I just know you will love them! Please head on over to my Facebook page and like my page and then share it with all of your friends...I am trying to reach 100!!! I also have  a Scent of the Month club, that is sure to be great for those of you that like to have the new scent every month!! Contact me to join the club and have the scent of the month at your doorstep every month!!

Chat with you soon and I hope you have a lovely evening!!!
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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Volume and Dr, Seuss...again

Hello friends,
It was a long, tough day, but a rewarding one to say the least. To begin, my kids ROCKED the volume test they had today!!! I'm not kidding either, they all PASSED....that is 100% of my kids passing a test!!! I told them if they all got 100, I would get them McDonald's...well, they didn't all get a 100, but they all passed with an 80 or higher....not sure what I should do?? Any thoughts?????

After school, I helped my teacher friend, teammate, friend out with her Dr. Seuss door...we decided on The Grinch and he turned out super de duper cute!!! What do all of you think???? Stay tuned for tomorrow, I think I will be doing one more door and I hope it turns out super cute!!!

Dr. Seuss, Grinch door


"Ava"ism---
Have I told y'all how much I love this child??? She just makes my heart sing. She always wants to hold and me and just love on me...it is so wonderful. I can remember a time when she was much younger that she was not into hugging and kissing, that is not the case anymore. She is so funny too, tonight we were showering together (to save time) and she put her basket on her head and kept saying, "it's raining (because the water was hitting her head), then she found a different bucket and put it on her Dora doll's head to protect her...hahahaha, silly girl. She has also perfected her high five joke that her daddy taught her....she loves to tell you, "up high, down low, you're too slow" Then she just cracks up laughing at herself! Tonight, while we said prayers, I would peek out and see what she was doing and she would be peeking at me with one...I couldn't help but laugh. And, finally, after several failed attempts at getting her to go to bed (and as I typed this now), we decided to lay down with her and we called her Nana and Papaw...they were so excited, as was she:) She told them she had a beautiful new purple car and asked if they wanted to buy it...hahaha, funny girl!!! Well, I know y'all are not as interested in those stories as I am, but I am using this blog as a journal for myself and Ava...I would love to be able to have these things down for her to hear one day and this is the only way I can think to do it!!

Scentsy Time!!!
Only 1 more day....hurry, if you want to take advantage of 10% off almost everything in the catalog!! Aside from that, today is Warmer Wednesday, one of my favorite days of the week, because I get to share and talk about beautiful Scentsy warmers....for today it is Cosmo, I love this warmer because I LOVE purple!!! I think this would look fantastic in any room to give it a pop of color.

Scentsy Cosmo warmer!!!

I also wanted to remind all of you of my Facebook fan page...we are at 48 now and I am trying my hardest to get to 100!! I would love to have your help. Please share my page with all of your friends and have them let me know you sent them, by posting on the page who sent them. When we reach 100, the person who has the most referrals  will win some fun Scentsy goodies...go there now and start referring, I would GREATLY appreciate any and of the help I can get!!!

That is all the lovely news I have for this evening, until tomorrow, I hope you all have a lovely day tomorrow!! Chat with you soon!!

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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Dr. Seuss, math review, and taxes...oh my!!!

It was a VERY busy day, and an exhausting one!!!! I ended up spending most of my day getting my kids ready for a volume test in math tomorrow...there are going to be some tough boogers on that test tomorrow, but that's ok...I sleep well knowing that I taught it pretty well! To make my day better, I got to wear jeans for Dr. Seuss day 2 because I wore blue:) Tomorrow is crazy sock day...sure hope I can locate some cute ones so I can wear jeans again tomorrow (See below for a list of activities our school is doing for Dr. Seuss week!!!!)

After school, my husband and I headed over to Jackson Hewitt to get our taxes filed...I must say, thank goodness we did, because what we thought was going to be in the red ended up being in the GREEN...can I get a WHOOP on that???? Since it ended up being a good thing at the tax office, we treated ourselves to Fuzzy's....yummo!!

"Ava"ism of the day...
she is now saying "oh my gosh"...I was wondering how long it was going to take her!! It is one of my favorite sayings...oh my gosh:) I want to also add that she did great while we were at our "meeting" with Jackson Hewitt....I absolutely love my sweet baby girl, she always makes me smile, even on tough days like today!!

Scentsy thought of the day....
Only 2 more days left to get 10% off the fall/winter catalog...hurry, don't wait....once the catalog is gone, the discontinued scents are gone too!!!! Visit my website to place your order. Also, "like" my Facebook page for more fun Scentsy stuff!!! I'm trying my hardest to get to 100!!!

Dr. Seuss week...
Monday- Green Eggs and Ham, wear green
Tuesday- 1 Fish 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish- wear red or blue
Wednesday- Fox in Sox (?)- wear crazy socks
Thursday- Sleep book (?)- wear pajamas
Friday- Character day...dress up as your favorite book character
We are also doing a door decorating contest (see my Dr. Seuss below, I hope I win)
The kids also have the chance to vote for their favorite Dr. Seuss book as well as make some estimation guesses.
We are also saving coke tabs and donating the money to the Ronald McDonald House.

I hope you all had a lovely day and made something lovely happen in your life!!! Chat with you tomorrow!!!
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Monday, February 25, 2013

What a LOVELY Day:/

What a day....all I can say, is that it was definitely a Monday and the kids were in rare form!! I hope everybody else has had a GREAT day!! Today was day one of our Dr. Seuss week at school and of course I forgot to wear green...bummer:( I am ready for tomorrow, I already have my blue ready to go for 1 Fish 2 Fish Red Fish Blue Fish!! My door turned out super cute and there are a bunch of other GREAT ones at my school also!! I love seeing everybody get spirited!!!
I got home tonight and my hubby decided to make dinner, which was fantastic and then I found a yummy Scentsy recipe for Monday Mixer (it is a perfect mix after a day like today!!!) Visit my FB page and like my page for the recipe!! I am also doing a contest on the most referrals...make sure you get in on this, you don't want to miss the give away when we reach 100!!! Before I leave, I wanted to share a pic of my door, let me know what you think!!! I hope you all have a GREAT evening and I will be on to chat tomorrow!!!

Oh and here are the cookies I made yesterday...they turned out to be delicious, and pretty darn cute too, if I must say so myself!!!

I hope you enjoyed all the lovelies in my life today...be back tomorrow to share more lovely times!!!

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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Blog Changes!!!

Well lovely blog followers, I have decided to make some changes to my blog...I have found that while my students are my lovelies, it seems that there are more things in my life that are lovely to me too. So, instead of just talking about school stuff, I am now going to include EVERYTHING that is lovely in my life; family, Scentsy, crafts, cooking, etc...I hope you will stick around and enjoy this ride with me!!!


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Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Freezer Cooking....Success!!!!

Wow, it has been a very long time since I have blogged...I have not had a break since school started, so I am taking my Christmas break to at least get one post in. This post isn't about school at all, but about a cooking venture I have been wanting to try for a long time...Freezer Cooking!!! I have been searching and planning out meals for a very long time and finally got the nerve to just do it!! I actually enjoyed myself and am not too exhausted!! I ended up with 11 meals all in my freezer!! It is so liberating...I know my husband will be happy because he usually does all the cooking, because I am just too tired to even think about cooking after work. Here are the meals I came up with:
1. Lemon and Garlic "Dump" Chicken
2. Creamy Chicken with Mushroom (minus the mushrooms...LOL)
3. Ranch burgers
4. Shepherd's Pie
5. Smothered Pork Chops
6. Chicken Pot Pie
7. Meat Stew
8. Taco Soup
9. Roast
10. Beef Tips
11. Spaghetti Sauce

I did all of my shopping the day before, and checked my cabinets before I went grocery shopping. I used the grocery planner from Once a Month Mom. I got a few of the recipes from there as well as The Country Cook and Loving my Nest. I also made a few of my own recipes (Mama's) into freezer meals. A few other places to find recipes for freezer cooking are: Who Needs a Cape and Six Sisters' Stuff.
Once I sorted out the ingredients, I made my master list and went grocery shopping. I decided not to cook on the same day I went grocery shopping because I have heard it can be very overwhelming.
I decided to start today at 11am. I started by labeling all of my baggies with the date, name and reheating/cooking instructions. Some people will do all of their chopping first, but I knew that that would be a ginormous mess for me and ingredients would be left out, so I just did one meal at at a time and it probably took me a lot longer, oh well. Anyway, I did all of my "dump" meals first to get the hang of it and saved the major cooking for the end. For 11 meals and one extra trip to the grocery store (oops, a little scatter brained)...I finished at around 5:30pm.
I do not remember where I got all the recipes, because I wasn't planning on posting it here, so if you know where I got them, please tell me:)

Here are the recipes:
1. Lemon and Garlic "Dump" Chicken (this was from a site I found through Pinterest with a bunch of "dump" chicken recipes)

2 Cloves Garlic -- chopped
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Pieces

For immediate cooking: Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Place all ingredients into a
large baking dish, turn chicken to coat. Bake until chicken juices run
clear (45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken
breasts).

For freezing: Place all ingredients into a 1 Gallon freezer bag. Lay flat
in freezer.

To thaw and cook: Take the bag out of the freezer the night before, make
sure the baggie is completely closed. Place the Bag on a shelf furthest
from the freezer (It works best if the bag is laying flat, although this
may not be the best option with a side-by-side fridge/freezer). Preheat the
oven to 350 F. Empty the contents of the bag into a large baking dish and
bake until the juices run clear (45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30
minutes for chicken breasts).

Per serving: 250 Calories (kcal); 21g Total Fat; (74% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; 70mg Cholesterol; 56mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 3 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

2. Creamy Chicken with Mushrooms (minus the mushrooms...LOL)

Author/Source:
Pam @ Onceamonthmom.com (Adapted from Fix and Forget It)
Ingredients:
                6 pieces boneless, skinless chicken
                20 ounces cream of chicken soup
                0.5 cup sliced mushrooms
                0.75 teaspoon salt
                0.25 teaspoon pepper
                Additional herbs or spices, if desired (I usually add a generous shake of garlic powder)
Directions:
Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover, cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Serve over mashed potatoes, hot cooked noodles, or rice, if desired.
Freezing Directions:
Place chicken in freezer bags. Mix soup, mushrooms, and seasonings. Add to freezer bag. Seal, label, and freeze. To serve: No need to thaw. Place bag contents in slow cooker, cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours. Serve over mashed potatoes, hot cooked noodles, or rice, if desired.
Servings: 6

3. Ranch Burgers 

Ingredients
                        2 pounds lean ground beef
                        1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
                        1 egg, lightly beaten
                        3/4 cup crushed saltine crackers
                        1 onion, chopped

Directions
               Preheat the grill for high heat.
               In a bowl, mix the ground beef, ranch dressing mix, egg, crushed crackers, and onion. Form into hamburger patties.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Place patties on the grill, and cook 5 minutes per side, or until well done.

4. Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients
                            1  pound  ground beef
                            1/3  cup  ketchup
                            1  teaspoon  Worcestershire sauce
                            8  ounces  frozen mixed vegetables (such as carrots, peas, and corn), thawed
                            1/4  cup  (1 ounce) shredded Cheddar (optional)
                            1  16-ounce package mashed potatoes, refrigerated or frozen and thawed
Directions
                Heat oven to 400° F.
                Place the beef in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until no trace of pink remains, about 5 minutes.
                Spoon off and discard any fat. Stir in the ketchup and Worcestershire. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Spoon into a baking dish.
Mix the cheese (if desired) with the potatoes in a bowl. Spread over the beef and bake until heated through, 10 minutes. Divide among plates.

5. Smothered Pork Chops

recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated

3 ounces bacon (about 3 slices), cut into
1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
Vegetable oil
4 bone-in, rib-end pork chops,
1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
Ground black pepper
2 medium yellow onions, halved pole to pole and sliced thin (about 3 1/2 cups) 
8 oz sliced white button mushrooms
Salt
2 tablespoons water
2 medium garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves plus some for garnish


Fry bacon in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in saucepan (you should have 2 tablespoons bacon fat; if not, supplement with vegetable oil). Reduce heat to medium-low and gradually whisk flour into fat until smooth. Cook, whisking frequently, until mixture is light brown, about the color of peanut butter, about 5 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth in slow, steady stream; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, stirring occasionally; cover and set aside off heat.

Heat 1-tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until smoking, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, dry pork chops with paper towels and sprinkle with 1/2-teaspoon pepper. Brown chops in single layer until deep golden on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip chops and cook until browned on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chops to large plate and set aside.
  
Reduce heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon oil, onions, mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and water to now-empty skillet. Using wooden spoon, scrape browned bits on pan bottom and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened and browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. 

Return chops to skillet in single layer, covering chops with onions and mushrooms. Pour in warm sauce and any juices collected from pork; add bay leaves. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until pork is tender and paring knife inserted into chops meets very little resistance, about 30 minutes. 

Transfer chops to warmed serving platter and tent with foil. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer sauce rapidly, stirring frequently, until thickened to gravy-like consistency, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves, stir in parsley, and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Cover chops with sauce, and serve immediately.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Instead of returning chops to the skillet as noted above, place chops in single layer into an oven- and freezer-proof baking dish, covering chops with onions and reserved bacon. Pour in warm sauce and any juices collected from pork; add bay leaves. Allow to cool completely before covering and freezing. When ready to prepare, defrost completely. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place baking dish uncovered in preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes until pork is tender and paring knife inserted into chops meets very little resistance, about 30 minutes. Continue by transferring the chops to a warmed serving platter and following the last step as noted above.

6. Chicken Pot Pie

1 cup cooked, cubed chicken

1 8oz block cream cheese, softened

1 can cream of chicken soup (undiluted)

1 can mixed vegetables

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 unbaked refrigerated pie crust



Mix cream cheese and soup. Add in chicken, veggies, and seasonings. Stir to combine. Pour into greased 8x8 pan. Top with pie crust (either trim edges or fold them over) and make slits to vent. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown or freeze unbaked. To cook from frozen: thaw in refrigerator 4-5 hours before baking and cook as directed or put directly into oven for 1 hour 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

7. Meat Stew

2 lbs Meat (beef, pork, whatever is on sale), cubed
2 Onions, chopped
5 Carrots, sliced
3 Zucchini, sliced
2 Celery stalks, chopped
2 Red Bell Peppers, chopped
2 tsp Salt
.5 tsp Pepper
2 tsp Minced Garlic
1 14 oz can Canned Tomatoes
1 can Tomato Sauce
Put all ingredients in a large ziploc bag and freeze. Thaw bag and add contents to slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8. Stir occassionally.
Serve with warm cornbread. Serves approx 5-6 people.
8. Taco Soup (Mama's recipe)
1-1.5 lb ground beef
1 can of each:
pinto beans (drained)
black beans
kidney beans (drained)
garbanzo beans (drained)
hominy (drained)
corn
Ro-tel tomatoes
diced tomatoes
1 package dry taco seasoning
1 package dry ranch dressing
1 tbl chili powder
1 cup fresh chopped cilantro
Brown and drain beef in large stock pot. Add 2 cans water, taco seasoning, ranch dressing and all canned vegetables. Add 1/2 chopped cilantro and heat. 
For freezer cooking: cook meat and drain, add all other ingredients to freezer bags. On day of eating, thaw in the refrigerator over night and heat on the stove. Serve with tortila strips, avocado, limes, and cilantro.
9. Roast (my recipe)
1 large roast
1 package of onion soup mix
6 red potatoes (cubed)
1 onion (chopped)
small bag of baby carrots (cut in half)
2 cups water
2 beef bouillon cubes
Freezer prep: Put roast in freezer bag. Add potatoes and carrots. Mix onion soup mix with 2 cups of water and pour in. Add 2 beef bouillon cubes and close. To prepare, thaw over night. Dump all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours (all day). I make a gravy out of the juices, but that is up to you!
10. Beef Tips (no idea where this came from)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. beef tips (or cubed beef stew meat)*
1 package of dry Onion Soup Mix
1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can of Beef Broth



Directions:
Add beef to slow cooker. In a bowl, combine dry Onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup and beef broth.  
Stir to combine and pour over beef in slow cooker.
Stir all ingredients together.
Cook on low for at least 6-8 hours.  Give everything a good stir before serving. Serve on top of mashed potatoes or egg noodles. 
 Enjoy with your favorite veggies and salad.

Note: I put all the ingredients in a bag and froze them... no cooking!!!:)

Cook’s note: You can use a whole beef roast instead of cubed stew meat. 
If you don’t have cream of mushroom soup, you can substitute cream of chicken.
Also, if you are sensitive to salt, I would suggest using a low sodium cream soup as well as a low sodium beef broth









11. Spaghetti Sauce....
I just browned ground beef and italian sausage with onions, then added a jar of spaghetti sauce. Then I poured it all in a baggie:)

That's all I did this time around...now time to start searching for new recipes:) Let me know if you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them!! Happy New Year and Happy Prepping/Cooking/Freezing!
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