Capturing Memories

One of the best projects I have ever done, was created  a personal family recipe book.

I have SO many cookbooks but I only use a handful of recipes from each one. There was no need for me to keep them all and it became more of a hassle to guess where each recipe was.

I went to Zazzle and searched for kitchen binders. If you have never been to Zazzle you need to go and check them out! If you are looking for a personalized gift... this is where to get it! There are thousands of choices (these are just 2 of them).

After I did that, I purchased white dividers for my cookbook. The areas I created for my binder are breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, parties, edible projects, desserts, and drinks. As you can see I broke it down into when we eat particular foods. This makes it easier for my kids.

Lastly, I typed up the recipes and placed each one into a page protector in the right section of the book. It is an ongoing work in progress but so much fun and so worth the time and effort it took to create. I notated who the recipe came from and any special memories tied to it.

This would make such a fun project for families to work on together over the winter break. Make a copy and purchase an extra binder to give as a gift.

Since I am baking galore for the holidays, I thought I would share my favorite cookie recipes with all of you. Just click on the picture above to get your free copy!!

Capturing kitchen memories is a Zebra Quest for my students. Each month I create a family style Zebra Quest for my students to complete. The November quest was to collect at least 5 recipes from various family members and then try them! Students then brought in a copy to share with the class.

Once all the recipes have been completed, I created a recipe book for my class and sent home a copy of the recipes collected. It was a lot of fun and a great way to involve students and parents. I saved the recipe book and can add to it again next year.

Each recipe includes the student's name, grade, date, and which family member they collected the recipe from. The recipe and a picture are included. Reviews of the dishes are discussed with the family and not included.

In case you missed my St. Patrick's Day Green Pie Tradition. 

This is a great dessert for the holidays as well.

I am always looking for new cookie recipes to add to my personal collection. Please feel free to share your favorite recipe on your blog and leave me a comment with the link OR just leave the recipe in the comments. 

Teacher Gift Ideas

"Never get tired of doing little things for others. For sometimes, 

those little things occupy the biggest part of their heart." 

~ Ida Azhari

I love this quote! I am one of those people who LOVE to give! I find it so hard to answer the question "what do you want for Christmas?" as truly I do not know. I rather give something to someone than get something. 

I was trying to figure out the other day what to get my son's teachers for the holidays but it is so hard to come up with a good gift! I could do gift cards but that is so over done. What I would like to do is get them something they would never think of buying for themselves. So I thought I would share with you some of my favorite things for teachers!

Red Glitter Apple Earrings

There are lots of teacher earrings in a variety of styles

So cute! 

Literature on a Scarf

Stacked inspiration

Teacher Apron

Every teacher needs this for the day she forgets to wear

clothing with pockets. (GUILTY!)

Framed Artwork

Monogrammed Basket and Waterbottle

This is perfect for the days when you need to bring more

than will fit in your school bag. I am also always losing my

waterbottle. Now I would know which is mine. 

Gift Cards

You know this has to be on the list!

Teacher's Store, Starbucks, Target, Dollar Tree, and Visa.

I avoid restaurants unless you know their favorite!

Customized key ring or lanyard

Love mine! I have the keychain version and it is connected to

my lanyard along with my whistle and a bunch of other stuff. 

Customized Hot & Cold Cups Set

Personalized Hall Passes

Personalized Door Signs

Personalized Clip boards, Hand Sanitizer, or Desk Sign

Now these ideas are amazing but I think they are out of the price range for most parents. Perhaps you can use these ideas for your best teacher buddy or relative who is a teacher. These are all things teachers would never buy themselves but love. 

Desk Set

Love these new matching sets!

I am still waiting for them to make a black & red version!!

THE pencil sharpener

OH! OH! OH! Be still my heart! 

Todd did it! He really did! 

He made created a red and black version.

Goodbye old blue friend...!

You will be replaced with one of these. 

Who wants my old one?? 

Magnetic Eraser

This comes in so many fun shapes. 

It is on my wish list for my classroom.

Smelly markers. Love my scentos!

Okay... so what would you add to my ideas for teachers? I know this list is no where close to being complete but I thought I would share some of my ideas. And yes... they come in other colors than red and black but I couldn't resist sharing them in my favorite colors. 

It's time for a sale!!

I think the word "sale" has to be one of my top 10 favorite words or at least my family would say it is. So I couldn't pass up the opportunity to thank all of you for your love and support!

Teacher's Notebook is having a sale on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday! I think most stores are set at 32.5% off as it was recommended that prices be marked at 25% off. Still trying to figure out how this all works but anyways... everything is on sale!

In case you missed the weekend sales, Teachers Pay Teachers is offering an additional 10% off on all items purchased on Monday and Tuesday next week. I have set my prices to 20% off which makes a total of 28% off! Don't forget to promo code cuz even those stores who aren't throwing a sale still get the minimum 10% off!

My finals are all turned in but I have not had a lot of time to work on new things for all of you. I will try and get somethings up this weekend but not promises. If I do get them up and ready, I will not only add them to the sale, I will give away 3 copies of each item I complete.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

Books, Books, & More Books!

I love books. I rather read than watch tv. During family movie night, I usually have a book on my lap and sneak in some reading while pretending to watch the movie. Shhhh! Don't tell my family my secret.

My children shares this same love of reading. Perhaps I should have not taught them how to read by flashlight on that one camping trip oh so long ago as now I find them up late at night under the blankets with a book and their flashlight.

To make it easier to find books that I love and want to add to my collection - I created a store with Amazon! These are books I either own, am planning to buy in the future, or have access to in my classroom.

I tend to be horrible at keeping up with things but I am trying to get better. In an effort to help all of you, I have now added my monthly book suggestions to my Amazon store. You can click on the button in the sidebar or the picture above will take you directly to my October book section.

Don't ya love how I got it to match my colors! =)

The site above is the one I created just for Think, Wonder, & Teach. It has so many of the things that I love on there. I have to remind myself to update it but it is a great starting point for ideas.

I have a separate store on my classroom website... I list recommendations for parents and students. This contains lists of favorite series, my monthly book recommendations, stories to read together, books without pictures, and more!

I always figure the more details I can provide to my parents the better! Each month when I send out a notice for the monthly Zebra Quest Family Challenge... I link to this month's list of books. A lot of these books appear in my monthly activity packet but not all.

I also add recommendations from other people. So if you have a favorite book for October (or November!) please leave me a comment and I will add it. =)

Note: These stores are revenue generating (supposedly... although I have personally never made money off of them). Revenue comes back in the form of Amazon gift cards (yea! More books!). I just like that I can create a custom site with pictures and reviews easily!

Red & Black Erin Condren Planner

At the beginning of the month I was surprised by winning an Erin Condren Lesson Planner! Thanks again so much to Ashley at Just Reed!


I had been thinking of purchasing one of these but they are so stinkin' expensive!! I didn't want to buy one and then think later that I had wasted all of that money. I have been all over the site dozens of times. Should I or shouldn't I? Should I or shouldn't I?

It took about 3 weeks to arrive. It came in the mail so beautiful wrapped! Look the tissue paper is RED! Please ignore the white square in the first photo, didn't want the whole world to have access to my address. =)

I discovered that some of the designs let you choose your own colors and so that is what I did with the Candy Lace design. It is red lace with black dots. I may switch it next time. Isn't it pretty? Bet ya didn't know you could make it in my favorite colors?

This is the inside of my lesson planner. I love how the additional stickers were created to match (top right) and that there is a pouch to hold these in.

The cover appears to be a hard laminate over card stock. The inside back cover (top left) has a 2012 and 2013 yearly calendar. Inside front cover is just the lace design same as outside back.

Middle Left shows the colored lesson planner pages. I use a wide popsicle stick to create additional columns (for example lunch, recess, morning routine) to add to this and personalize it for me. The one thing I do not like about this is the cute owl at the top. Remember my "no owls allowed post" - I would have to cover each and every owl or never let my students see it (which is not an option).

Middle right - there are 4 pages of stickers to use in the planner. Cute addition but I would like some more cutesy graphics but that is just me. I love that 2 of the 4 pages is blank so I can add in my own things.

Bottom Left - monthly calendar and notes page. I use this notes section as a checklist of things I want to accomplish this month. Goals to reach. Etc... It is more "personal" than school related but it does include crafts I want to create. =)

Bottom Right - LOVE this! It is a checklist for students and each line is a different color. This would help make sure that grades are recorded in the right spot. Or you can use it for forms to be turned in or whatever you are needing.

The Pros!

I love the colors of this, the fact that I can personalize it, and it appears that it would be very sturdy! And I can wipe it clean if something spills on it. 

The Cons!

The price and the owls. As weird as this sounds, I think I would like it 3 whole punched as well. A lot of my lesson plans are done electronically as it has to have objectives included which are required by my university and the state.  

How I Use My Planner:

Do to the requirements of my lesson plans, a week's lesson plans are insanely long. My mentor teacher printed hers out last week... 19 pages! It did not even have all of the requirements that I have to meet for school. As a result, I have a printed copy that goes into a 3 ring binder for the state that is sorted by quarter and week.  

My planner is my go-to guide. It is a "checklist" of things that I want to accomplish that day. I says things like "DOL Wk 3 Mon" or "TM H432" or "Nouns PP" - these small notes fit perfectly on the page and remind me of what the big one says. It is also what I carry with me to team meetings. I plan in this book and I finalize on the computer.

Pens or Pencils?

When I have used a paper planner in the past, I always used colored pens for it. I was able to keep track of things easier with this. Paydays listed in green. Each child was a certain color, family things in another. I tried that with my planner but it did not work so well.  Pencil is working much better for me as I can change this as I need to. My computer plans are in color. 

My planner came with colored pens! I LOVE me some colored pens. They said they were not to be included on the invoice but alas here they are as a free gift! 

I have to admit that I am disappointed by this product after the high quality of the planner. These are sold for $7 but I recommend not getting them. The colors are nice but the pens are so cheaply made that it is not worth the money. The first time I used one I thought it was gonna break. =(

So there is my newest toy. I have already begun using it and can't wait to make my final decision after a year of using it.

Vistaprints SALE & Classroom Poem

This blog post has been interuppted by an important announcement.... 

Groupon is selling an $80 giftcard to Vistaprints for $20!!! 

RUUUUUUUUUUUUN!!

Only 3 days left on this sale. 

I am so excited!!!

Got my redemption code!

hmmmm....

What to make......

 I have received several emails asking me what this poem says. 

So I created a little something for you!

You can pick up this poster at my TpT store for free. For even more great poems from Brod Bogert -

I highly recommend purchasing his book for your classroom. It is one of my son's favorites. I will have to wrestle this book away from them in order to share it with my students. It really is THAT good!

Back to School Shopping!

It's that time of year again... back to school shopping is in full swing here. Teachers head back on Monday. Open House is August 2 and kids will be pouring in on Aug 6! Where did the summer go???

I have been picking up things here and there over the summer but have yet to share with you all of the amazing things I have gotten lately. Yes, I know I have posted quite a few but I have been holding out on some others.

I apologize. I was just simply too lazy to get the camera out or the stuff to take a picture. BUT since I am avoiding my paper... AGAIN... today I thought now would be the perfect time!! =)

This was a totally frivolous etsy find. I thought it would be so cute on top of a file cabinet in my classroom. So I ordered ti up and here it is. It is actually sitting on my dresser in my room at the moment. It matches so well!

These are hard to see in the picture... one is red, silver, and white the other is black, silver, and white. These were a gift from a friend when I was freaking out over THE test. She sent it to me with a card that says "we already know you are a graduate and a teacher, now you just have to prove it." So sweet!

Black One

Charms read: 

Believe ~  Success ~ Achieve

Poem says:

 Follow your dreams 

As you strive to achieve

The key to success 

Is to always believe.

Red One

Charms read: 

Teacher ~ Wisdom ~ Inspire

Poem says: 

A teacher has unique qualities 

The gift of wisdom to share. 

With patience and understanding

To inspire many with special care.

There are two as together they are black, white, and red

... LOVE her!!

Have you heard of the Polka Dot Market? All things polka dotted... love it! =) I heard about it from Schoolgirl Style. Picked up some fabric tape, paper daisies, and pom-poms for my classroom. These will look amazing with my new couture Schoolgirl Style items.

All of these items were found at Wal-Mart in the $0.88 section. LOVE it! I got name tags (matches nothing in my class, I will use these as a sub), Large stamps, Magnet Words (in 3 colors), Scentos Monster Markers, and binder clips that say to file, ASAP, to do, and something else.

These also came from Wal-mart but not super great buys. The polka-dot pencil pouch was $4 AND it doesn't fit pencils!! Only pens (shakes head in wonder)! The expos were $11... I love having lots of colors so I splurged.

This was my sad... sad Target trip. Three whiny boys + one whiny husband = no funness for me! That's okay I am sneaking off later tomorrow for a trip to Target and the Dollar Tree. Shhhh! I bought the flashcards for a possible center ... don't ask. I don't know yet. Then I looked over and saw red glitter glue. It was red... it was glittery... it was coming home with me. Now the only thing is what to use it for......

This was a surprise in the mail from another teacher friend. It came with a card that says "for your first set of keys to a classroom." I gave one of these away months ago and thought about getting one of my very own and alas... here it is!