10 Things I Want To Do This Summer

Hello friends! Oh how I have missed this space on the internet.  Like most of you, the end of the school year was extremely busy for me.  Filled with EOY assessments, field trips, field days, awards days, and a party to send our fourth graders on to fifth grade in style. 

We have been out of school for about a week now and I am finally ready to plan out my summer to do list.  I always take the first week of summer vacation off from anything teaching related. My summer classes haven't started yet, and I've enjoyed just relaxing this week.  We had a big cookout for my 30th birthday, I've taken the dogs on big walks every day, and we've tackled some home improvement projects. It's been great for recharging my batteries!

Since I've had time to clear of my head of all things teaching related, I thought I'd link up with Deanna Jump for my Summer Top Ten List. :) I've really enjoyed reading everyone's lists!

One: READ
One of my favorite things about summer is the chance to read.  I have a mix of professional and fun books that I am excited to read this summer. :)  Below is a list of books I plan on reading:
The One and Only
Word Nerds
The MatchMaker
Daily Five: Second Edition

Two: COOK
I certainly do my fair share of cooking during the school year, it's a great stress relief for me.  However, this summer I hope to cook more than I have in previous summers.  My husband works in restaurant management and can have crazy hours.  So sometimes, I just feel it's easier to pick up something rather than cook dinner for myself.  My goal is two is try to only eat out twice each month.  Cooking at home is typically better for me, and it's cheaper too! 

Three: DWELL 
My one little word spiritually this summer is DWELL.  I yearn to just spend sweet time with the Lord.  Whether it be doing a bible study, praying, or journaling.  I just want to dwell in his presence this summer. 

Four: SERVE
My husband and I recently started attending a new church together. We both hope to get more involved by serving our church community this summer.

Five: FOLLOW A SCHEDULE
While I certainly love the flexibility of summer, I have a hard time with it as well.  If I don't follow some type of schedule; I end up doing things like wasting the day on Instagram, watching the entire series of The Little Couple on Netflix, or napping the day away.  Which are all good things, in moderation. I try to get all my school/blog/TpT work done by five, so I can enjoy the rest of the evening with my husband and pups.  This also helps me to be more balanced, as I'm not doing school stuff all day, every day. 

Six: BE ACTIVE
A few summers ago, I fell prey to the blogger but. I sat on my but and blogged and created for TpT.  It was fun BUT it created a lot of bad habits.  This summer, I just want to to be active every day. Whether that be a walk with the dogs, a run, or a workout I have saved on Pinterest, I just want to get moving. 

Seven: CREATE
This summer, I have a new product line up my sleeve that I'm excited about. :) Something I really struggle with is getting in all the language usage CCSS standards in during my writing block.  So let's just say it addresses that need and hopefully it will help you out too! :)

Eight: PLAN 
This summer, I really want to look at our curriculum map and unit assessments and be purposeful with my preplanning of the school year and really make sure to dig deep in our standards.  I have lots of resources that I have created or purchased and I want to make sure to fill them purposefully in my curriculum map.  I also want to strengthen my writing calendar/map this year as well. :)

Nine: DECORATE
This is our second summer in our house and things are finally really coming together.  Which makes my wallet really happy! We really just need to finish up our gallery wall in our loft, add some personal touches to our master bedroom, and fill an awkward space in our kitchen at the moment.  :) Then it's on to finishing our basement....the list never stops with my handy hubs!

Our gallery wall will go behind the couch! :)

Ten: LOVE
This summer marks five years that I've been with my hubby and four years since we've been married.  We've been through a lot during that time and I'm so blessed to have him by my side.  We are hopeful that our family will grow soon and so I hope to cherish our time together, just the two of us, this summer. 

What are you up to this summer? :)  

Mother's Day Fun for Bigger Kids

Hello! I hope everyone had a great Monday.  I'm a little tired today. :)  My husband was off last week to install our new patio and I've been up past my bedtime a few nights in a row enjoying our new fire pit.  

I can foresee us spending lots of nights by the fire this summer. :)  

My kiddos take the OAA next week, so it's time for us to get started on our Mother's Day gifts.  We always make a cookbook for our moms, grandmas, dads, etc. during the week of testing as a fun activity during a stressful week.  You can read a little bit more about them here.

Here are a few pictures of last year's cookbook!

I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the page the kids fill out about their mom, dad, etc.  They are so touching. :)  I've cried reading a few of them over the years.  

This cookbook is always a hit with my class.  I've had several families cook the entire cookbook together, and my husband and I have found a few of our favorite dinner recipes in them.  

Since I teach two sections of ELA this year, I'm modifying our cookbook this year to conserve/save some of my copy clicks.  This year, I am having my students choose the recipes they want to include in their Mother's Day Cookbook using the following form. 

Each student will include their own recipe and nine others. This will make each cookbook around ten pages.  I will use their choice form above to figure out how many copies I need to make of each recipe. I will give each student back their choice sheet to assist them in creating their cookbook. 

You can check out We Love Our Momma's Meals on TpT by clicking {here} or on the picture below! :) 

Have a great night friends, I'm off to grade homework packets! :)

Five for Friday on a Sunday!

I am pumped to be linking up with Doodle Bugs for her Five for Friday link up, although I'm embarrassingly late to the party.

1. Last Sunday, I got a phone call from the Cincinnati Fire Department, a phone call I'm sure nobody wants to get!  They informed me that my sweet husband had been in an accident at work.  The freight elevator he was using at work closed on his hand.  We are so blessed because there are no breaks, no fractures, his hand was just very swollen! 

2. As a result of the elevator accident and the stomach flu, I missed three days of school last week.  It was crazy! However, this saved my life!
 

Source: teacherspayteachers.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Seriously, it did! All I had to do was type out my plans for the day and leave the binder on my desk with it.  The binder had my class list, notes about difficult students, helpful tips, etc.  All THREE of the subs I had last week loved it .  I am so glad to have it ready for the PDs I'll be attending for the Common Core this spring.  Thanks, Amanda! :)

3. I am LOVING this three day weekend.  We have yet to have a snow day and I am thankful for the break.  I got to spend a chunk of time this weekend making some of my favorite recipes   Cooking is one of my favorite things to but is also often the first thing to get neglected when things get busy.  It's a huge stress relief for me, so I'm determine to cook as much as I can between now and the rest of the school year!
 

Source: pinchofyum.com via Lisa on Pinterest

These are seriously the best brownies on the planet.  They are super gooey due to the crumbled up Oreos in the batter.  Yum!

Source: sixsistersstuff.com via Lisa on Pinterest

I am not usually a pot roast kind of girl but I love these sliders! My husband can't get enough of them. 

4. Girls on the Run started last week at my school.  I am so proud to be involved with this program and LOVE the difference it makes in the lives of young girls!  

Source: girlsontherun.org via Lisa on Pinterest

5. My husband and I built our home and are slowing working on our house one room at a time. I bought some of these baskets in green and in blue.  They have made such a difference in my office! :) They have them in a variety of sizes and colors. Love them!

 

If you have emailed me this week and I haven't responded, I am so so so sorry.  It was the imperfect storm at our house this week with my husband getting hurt and me having the stomach flu.  We are both back to work and are excited to be back to a routine! I hope to have the March editions of my fluency games, roll and cover, and a set of spring graphic organizers up and ready soon!

Product Swap: Kickin' it With Class

Long time Product Swap reader, first time participator here! I've always loved Jessica's product swap, as it always helps me discover so many goodies to add to my wishlist! :) So I am PUMPED to finally be able to participate. 

 I was paired with Heather who blogs at Kickin' it With Class.  

I've gotten to know Heather a little bit over the past few months and she is so sweet! Heather is a third grade teacher in Texas who is originally from the great state of Ohio, just like me! :)  As a former third grade teacher, I LOVE reading third grade blogs because they help me relive my third grade days, so I highly encourage you to kick out Heather's awesome blog, she has lots of great ideas! 

I asked Heather to send me her winter multiplication practice packet and I'm so glad that I did! Click {here} or on the picture to check it out on TpT!

 

I have a couple kiddos in my fourth grade class that really struggle with mastering their facts so this pack is perfect extra practice for them.  As a former third grade teacher, I can tell you her pack is perfect for thirdsters and is Common Core aligned! 

Heather's pack includes two bump games, which my kiddos LOVE.  One you can even customize with your own numbers!

Here is my copy all laminated and ready to go for Monday! The grandma of one of my students volunteers in my room EVERY Monday and I know she'll be happy to have a new fun game to play with some of my struggling kiddos.  I'm never quite sure who enjoys the games more, grandma or the kiddos in my class! :) 

Her pack also includes a set of activity cards perfect for scoot or a math station and she has included directions and recording sheets for both.  I put my copy on a ring to use during my math intervention time with some of my kiddos who still aren't quite proficient in their fact recall.  

 Like I mentioned before, this pack is PERFECT for thirdsters.  I can wait to send the link of this product to my BTF (best teacher friend) from third grade.  These activity cards will have your students practicing multiplication as repeated addition, arrays, pictures, skip counting and tables.  For me, it's perfect for solidifying conceptual understanding for my kiddos that are struggling to memorize their facts.

Heather also has lots of other awesome multiplication products in her store! You can check out all her free and paid multiplication resources {here}.

Lucky for you, Heather has put this awesome pack on sale! Click on the Teachers Pay Teachers logo below to check it out! :)

Heather tried out my Snowday, Sunshine Fry Phrase Game! Check out her post {here}.

Thanks, Heather, for sharing your Winter Multiplication Practice with me and trying out Snowday, Sunshine with your kiddos at home! I know my students will love using your Winter Multiplication Practice Pack!

Blasts from the Past {Product Updates}

I started blogging and creating this time last year and boy have I learned a lot.  I've had updating some of my early products on my to do list and since I've been snowed in, today I was able to do so. :)  

For those of you who don't know I taught second grade last year, and one of our science standards had to do with the seasons changing.  When we returned from break last year, we did so many cool things with winter.  My kids and I had so much fun with this little unit!

 
Last year, my kids LOVED the science experiments, where they experimented the effect of salt on ice and snow, making snow paint snowflakes, and learning about winter animal adaptations.  I went through and cleaned up a lot of the pages today. I added easier to read fonts and different graphics to many of the pages. 

If you already own this unit, please go redownload all the awesome changes! :)  All you need to do is sign into your dashboard on Teachers Pay Teachers and click on My Purchases. Once you find the unit, the click download to download the updated unit for free.  

You can also access my winter unit on Teachers Pay Teachers by clicking {here} or by clicking on  the picture below.

 


I also updated my Double Digit Addition and Subtraction Scoot.  I love, love, love using scoot in my classroom.  It's amazing what a clip board, a recording sheet, and a set of equation cards can do on a cold winter day when your kiddos have had indoor recess.  :)  My original file had Valentine's Day clip art but I wanted to update my file to have more generic clip art, so it could be used year round! 

Again, it's amazing what an easy to read font and new graphics can do to a product! :)  I love the new look! :) I also included an answer key for easier grading/checking. I hope that your kiddos enjoy this updated pack. I know my kiddos really enjoyed the original last year! I would be including this in my back to school plans next week if I was still teaching second grade. :) If you would like to check it out on TpT, just click {here} or on the picture below!

Updating these products was such a walk down memory lane.  Even though I love my fourth graders a ton, I really enjoyed teaching second grade after January last year, they had matured a lot and I was over my "this isn't third grade anymore" culture shock. 

Before I hit publish, I wanted to remind you that Fourth and Ten has its own fanpage! One of my blogging goals this new year is to be more active on my fan page.  Click on the picture below or {here} to check it out and to follow Fourth and Ten on Facebook! :) 

Off to finish the laundry and catch up on my DVR. I LOVE Christmas break! :)

Menu Planning Tips and Tricks

Outside of teaching, one of my passions is cooking.  Once upon a time, I even had a food blog, but then discovered quickly that I was more passionate about my teaching blog, and elected to not renew the domain at the beginning of the year.  Even though I love to cook, during the school it can easily become a chore and not something I enjoy doing, especially since I teach right up to 4:00 pm.  However, I do try to make it a priority to try and cook five dinners a week. While, I don't claim to have it all together when it comes to making dinner every night, or that I always say "no" when the thought "take out" comes to my mind after a long day at work, I do have some tips and tricks to share that I hope helps make dinner time less stressful for you this year.   

By far the most successful thing I've done in getting a dinner made by me on the table most nights, is making a weekly menu.  If you don't already meal plan, I highly recommend it.  It saves money and time at the grocery store, as you are only buying what you need. Plus it takes all the guessing out of nightly, "what's for dinner?" question.  


I use this template from Elementary Organization. 

 

It's perfect because it only has me planning dinners out for the week, and breaks down down my shopping list by the section of the store the item is located in.  When menu planning, I peek at our schedule for the upcoming week.  I usually only plan for five nights of dinners a week.  My husband has class every Thursday night, and I usually stay late at work that night and either pick up my beloved Chipotle on the way home, or make due with something in the pantry.  My husband also works in restaurant management, and there are some nights he isn't home for dinner.  On those nights, I often meet a friend for dinner or eat leftovers.  Taking a couple minutes before going to the grocery store and checking your Pinterest recipe boards, your favorite cookbook, and your pantry and come up with a plan for your meals for the upcoming week. I promise this time is well worth it!

While I don't plan for breakfast and lunch on my meal plan, I DO make sure I have the ingredients for my favorite breakfast and lunch on hand, so I don't fall into the Starbucks for breakfast trap or the rushing out for lunch routine.  For breakfast, I usually eat oatmeal (just your basic quick cook in the microwave with a scoop of peanut butter), overnight oats (check out my favorite combination {here}, or some frozen waffles with my crack cookie butter.  I honestly kinda despise lunch.  It's such a strange time of the day, and honestly after dropping the kiddos off, using the restroom, and checking my mailbox, I feel like I have five minutes to eat lunch, especially if I have lunch duty.  I usually pack a fruit, carrots or other veggies to dip in hummus, a cheese stick or a Larabar.  Which I usually devour in my classroom making sure all my ducks are in a row for the afternoon or while blasting Miranda Lambert on my iPhone pumping myself up for the afternoon, true story. I try to avoid microwavable lunches as we only have two in the school and the line is usually far too long to deal with. :)

 

Keep your menu simple!  You don't have to cook elaborate meals to keep your family, or yourself, happy and satisfied.  I do love to cook, but usually only try more involved recipes on the weekend, so I'm always on the lookout for quick, easy, but still healthish meals.  

On crazy nights, I'm known to grill kielbasa sausage, microwave some brown rice, and steam or roast a vegetable.  It takes minutes to prepare, but tastes great.  

Some of our favorite weeknight meals are:

Skinny Skillet Lasagna 

Tortilla and Black Bean Jalapeno Ranch Salad

Bubble Up Pizza

Greek Turkey Meatballs

Skinny Greek Yogurt Chicken

Chicken with Pepperoni Marina Sauce

Maid Rites

Spicy Bean Burritos (which we make into tacos)

Black Bean and Salsa Soup

Point being, keep it simple.  This looks different for everyone.  Simple can mean different things for everyone. I often focus on the main course and then usually steam/roast the vegetable quickly for a side.   My hubs manages at a restaurant that has really good salads, so he often brings one home for us to share as a side. :)

 A crockpot can be your friend, but be careful.  If your crockpot isn't about 3/4 of the way full, it will cook faster and can be burnt/ruined before you get home.  I have a great one with a timer, but it's huge.  I usually put our meal in a glass Pyrex bowl with a silicone trivet on top to fix this problem. 

Some of our favorite crockpot meals are:

Ravioli in the Slow Cooker

Saucy Crockpot Pulled Pork

Skinny Taste Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Vegetarian Black Bean and Tomatillo Soup with Lime and Cilantro 

Lastly, don't be afraid to ask for help! My husband will often prep and put a meal in the crockpot for us on the days he's off and working on school work.  He won't hesitate to chop vegetables or set the table, but often doesn't know I need help unless I ask.  Dinner comes together in a snap, if you have some helpers.  :) Plus it's a great time to get caught up on each others days. 

I know many of you are back to work now, and most of us are going back soon, so I hope that you found this post useful as you transition back to being back at school.  I'd love to do a flow up post in a few weeks of a linky party of your favorite weekend night meals.  Thoughts? Would this be something y'all would be interested in? Let me know in the comments! :) 

Friday Five {Vol. 3}

This week went by in a blur.  I'm not really sure I created much of anything useful, even though I have a to do list a mile long.  I do remember purchasing some clip art for an upcoming place value unit, and reading a chapter or two of The Daily Five. The rest of the week though, is kinda fuzzy.

While I haven't been super creative as far as teaching materials go, I did get creative in the kitchen.  I do like to eat and cook healthy, but I developed some really bad eating habits this school year.  Like frozen pizzas a couple nights a week type of bad habits.  My summer clothes were a bit snug this year, so I've enjoyed cooking and eating healthier foods this summer.

Considering I didn't focus much on school this week, this week's Friday Five is dedicated to my husband and I's favorite eats this week. 

1. {this bean burger} This is seriously one of our all time favorite dinners, and one of the few my husband requests.  

 Source: bettycrocker.com via Lisa on Pinterest

2. {these roasted potatoes} I just used the spices I had in pantry, and these came out fantastic! 

 

Source: sweetpeaskitchen.com via Lisa on Pinterest

3. {these Greek quesadillas} Words really can't describe how much we love these at our house.  I've made them three times in the past month. Olives, roasted red peppers, and feta cheese are a tasty combination. :)

Source: annies-eats.com via Lisa on Pinterest

4. {this salad} Oh my goodness, another repeat offender at my house.  We had it tonight for dinner.  I love, love, love the spicy ranch dressing and crunchy tortilla chip topping. 

Source: keepitsimplefoods.com via Lisa on Pinterest

 5. {these "healthier" muffins} Y'all my husband manages at a restaurant.  It's a nice gig, but the free bagels and cookies that he brings home from work don't do my thighs any favors. While these muffins aren't exactly the best muffins you will eat, they aren't that bad either, and certainly much better for me than one of those ginormous cookies my husband likes to bring home from work.  

Source: hungry-girl.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Have a great night, I'm off to finish the dishes, yuck. :(  Happy Friday!