Makeover Madness-a bit late to the game

I was so excited to see that some awesome TpTers (see below) had the idea to start a TpT Seller Challenge so I just HAD to join.

Sadly, I was teaching at a camp all week and was beyond tired at the end of the day. I finally got around to blogging about the makeover I recently gave one of my first products. It was a very basic (and obviously beginner) set of math task cards. Gag!

I actually cringe at the sight of this product! Here is the new and improved version:

What a huge difference! If you ever downloaded this in the past, please go back and download it again. It's like a whole new product! I'm also putting it on sale for $1 until I complete the next TpT Seller Challenge!

Birthday Blog Hop with The Education Highway

Hey everyone! I'm super excited to be in this blog hop to celebrate Celeste's birthday (from Education Highway) this week. Hop around to find fabulous freebies, crafts, summer recipes, 3 huge giveaways and lots more. Check it out!

I absolutely love summer because I get to do all the things I never have time to do. One of my favorites is a backyard BBQ. I also love all the summer fruits available, such as peaches. One year my sweet grandma brought over a huge box of delicious Colorado peaches. These peaches taste like peaches should taste! I had way too many to eat so she suggested that I freeze some and make a cobbler with some. I found this amazing Paula Dean recipe (a stick of butter y'all) that is crazy easy and delicious. Top it with some vanilla ice cream and you'll be the hero of the BBQ.

Click the pic below to take you to the recipe.

Summer is all about fun, but I always made my kids sit down for 20-30 minutes a day to work on the skills they learned in school. You want to keep those hard earned skills from slipping so here's a sizzling hot freebie to practice skip counting. 

Click the pic below to get your freebie!

My kids are teenagers now, so keeping them entertained isn't too hard. All they want is money and the car keys! When the family comes over they have cousins to play with and they usually just sit around on the phones. I love this idea to get them away from their phones and playing and interacting with each other. To be honest, I'd like to play too!

click the pic below to take you to the pin

It may not be what you want to think about right now, but for those of us who plan and scheme all summer, my Back to School Memory Book and First Week Activities is on sale all week for just $4!!!

Click the pic to take you to this product

Finally, three awesome giveaways! 

I think this one is the best only because I'm giving away any one product from my store!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here's an ebook that lists all the sponsors of this blog hop (click the pic). To check out more bloggers on the hop, click here. 

5 Reasons I LOVE summer...

This morning I was writing in my journal and I decided to flip back several pages to read some entries I had written earlier this year. I try to be positive, but REAL in my journal but I was dismayed to find that most of the entries had the theme of "just get through to the weekend" or "all the things I need to get done". I could feel the stress building just reading those entries so I went back to today's entry and noticed how calm and happy it sounded. It must be summer!

Of course all teachers love summer! I really, really, really, really love summer and not for the reason you think...

Reason #1: popsicles and flip flops any time of day or night. I buy several cheapo flip flops at Old Navy in fun colors every summer. For popsicles, I love these, especially the lime flavor, which tastes like a margarita:

Reason #2: time to be creative. I get to work on crafts and furniture refinishing projects this summer! I recently refinished a dresser from my great grandmother using chalk paint and it came out great so I'm going to give a few of my existing pieces an update! Check out my Furniture Redo Pinterest Board:

I also have time to work on new products for my TpT store, classroom and my friends. 

Reason #3: reading!!! I spend all spring cultivating my summer reading list and then I pop on my library's website and start requesting books. Here are some of my must reads this summer:

Reason #4: cooking! I love to cook, especially when I don't NEED to cook, like when 3 people are asking me what's for dinner and I'm not even home yet and I'm tired and still have to stop and get gas and I have no idea what's even in the house to eat...you know those times. I recently learned how to make homemade pasta from my sweet grandma and now I want to conquer more culinary feats! One of my favorite movies is Julie & Julia, which is so inspiring to me! Now that I've learned to make pasta (ravioli, fettuccini, spaghetti) I want to make this Rigatoni with Spicy Calabrese-Style Pork Ragu my sister found on Bon Appetit except that I'm going to make homemade ribbon noodles instead of rigatoni:

click the pic for recipe

Reason #5: Chillin...I always feel like I have the need to do something, to be productive, or busy. This summer, I'm going to chill on my hammock and take a nap or read or sit on my back porch with a popsicle or slice of watermelon. I'm going to visit my grandmas and just hang out. I'm going to spend some time with my girls and my hubs. I'm going to schedule some chill time. This little beauty is going on my screensaver:

I have about a thousand more reasons I love summer but I figured that would be kinda like bragging. What do you love about summer?? Reply and I'll send you my newest product! 

June Currently

I'm SO stinkin happy it's June! I love the feeling of having the whole summer ahead of me to do as I please. I'm linking up with fab Farley from Oh Boy Fourth Grade for her monthly Currently. First off, I am a dog lover and would be devastated if my Scruffy was ever lost or washed away like so many animals in Wimberley, TX.

If you'd also like to help out with a donation to WAG, go to Farley's page to donate! Now, here's my June Currently:

Listening: Since my high school graduate (proud mama, sorry!) of a daughter has recently taken over my home office with her job applications, graduation cards, and miscellaneous debris, I have relocated my "office" to my back porch. I live on a golf course right by a pond and I have the most peaceful view. The mornings are cool and fresh so I have been working from here. I have a chorus of bird sounds from sweet hummingbirds, sparrows and robins, to quacky ducks and cooing doves, to these noisy crows and some other unidentified birds. I guess it's my summer soundtrack! At night we hear the bullfrogs too. I feel so blessed that this is my refuge. 

Lovin': Two words: summer break! Enough said!

Thinking: I never truly relax, but I'm ok with that. I have a busy brain so I need to be constantly doing, creating, fixing, and learning. I have lists of lists but I'm making sure to work in some fun and down time. I think it will be good for me!

Wanting: This summer in particular is one I don't want to end. My baby girl is going off to college in August and I'm just trying to soak up as much of her as I can before she leaves. My youngest is also at a funky stage in her life as a 15 year old. She is trying to figure out who she is and is going to need a momma to lean on in the coming years. She's still a sweetie who loves to cuddle on the couch with me, so I'm gonna go ahead and soak that up too. 

Needing: I think I might say this every month. For real this time, though! I'm at the age where I can't eat whatever I want and expect to maintain my weight. I would love to lose a few pounds but more importantly, work on my cardio. I play in a rec soccer league and I would love to be able to run more easily and get less tired. 

Summer Lovin': There are about a billion reasons to love summer. At the moment, I'm reveling in the fact that I can stay in my PJs as long as I want, consume a meal in more than 15 minutes, and have the time to do what I want/need. I forgot that I do love to use the restroom whenever I feel like and drink as much water as I want! (#teacherproblems)

Click the button below to see what everyone else is up to or to donate to WAG. Happy June! 

Why I Started Blogging

I'm linking up with Miss Monica from I Heart Grade 3 for her weekly linky party and this week's topic is why you started blogging. Here's the list of weekly topics if you're interested in joining in.

I think this is a really great question! When I originally set up my blog, I wanted a space to record my experiences as a busy teacher/mom and reflect on my life.  The secondary reason is that I thought it might help my TpT store. I wasn't quite sure how, since I didn't have an audience, but it seemed like a good way to get my store going. Since most of what I make are things that I actually use in my classroom, it seemed like a perfect marriage. I also wanted to find a balance between promoting my store and telling it like it is. I wanted my voice to come through in my writing and I didn't want to alienate my readers by shoving my products down their throats. I wanted people to laugh along with me at my struggles or be inspired to try something that worked for me.

I started to read more blogs written by teachers and realized that there is this great big blogging world out there! I also realized that I could use my blog to connect with other teachers across the world.  I started joining linky parties like Five for Friday and Farley's monthly Currently and really enjoyed the new blogs I'd find by joining up. I also made some blogging buddies in my own state and have enjoyed getting to know them too. I first met Melissa at A Teaspoon of Teaching, she introduced my to Albuquerque Amy, and then we had a meet up and I met Mary from  The Apple Tree Room and Laura from Tchr888. These ladies inspire me!

My blog has taken a back seat to my crazy busy life the past few months and I have been less than inspired when I finally drag my butt home each evening, slap some dinner together and pass out. Now that I'm on summer break, I'm really sad that I didn't take just a little time to write more often. I had some great moments at school this spring and I wish I had documented them.

I guess I need to schedule time to write, just like I have to schedule time to prep and plan for school, work on my TpT store, or do housework or run errands.

How often do you blog? How much time do you devote to your blog each week? How do you fit it all in?

Summer Goals

The end of the year is so crazy and I have had an extra crazy May this year because my oldest daughter graduated from HS last week! Now that I'm officially on summer break (wahoooo!) I'll have time to do the things I've been slacking on.

I'm linking up with Miss Monica from I Heart Grade 3 for her new weekly summer linky party with new topics each week. This week's topic is Summer Plans and boy do I have big plans! Here's her weekly topic list if you want to join in:

Goal #1: Spend quality time with my girls
Since my oldest is heading off to college in August, I want to soak up as much time with her as I can. I also want to spend more time with my daughters and other family members together. We have a Disneyland trip planned in a few days and I can't wait!
Goal #2: Blog more
I have been almost totally AWOL on the blog lately. I have a million excuses for why I'm too busy but really I just haven't had the motivation. I would love to write 3-5 posts a week and save some for the parts of the year I'm just too busy/tired to write. I think this weekly linky will provide sufficient motivation because my biggest problem isn't the writing, it's deciding what to write to begin with.
Goal #3: Get at least 25 new products uploaded
My favorite part of being a TpTer is the creative aspect of making new products for my classroom or my friends' classrooms. I don't have as much time during the year so I gotta crank them out while I can. I also want to update some of my embarrassingly dreadful 1st products.
Goal #4: Learn, learn, learn
I'm attending several tech related PD opportunities my district is providing as well as the I Teach 2nd! and TpT conferences in Vegas. I. Can't. Wait. I also want to find a few professional books to read this summer. In addition to school related learning, I want to learn to make a few new dishes and get better at painting/refinishing furniture, which is my latest hobby.
Goal #5: Organize & simplify
There might come a day when I'll use those 247 gift bags stashed in my hall closet, but I highly doubt it. I want to clear out a ton of clutter in my closets and kitchen. I also really NEED to organize my home office so that I'll actually want to work in there. Finally, I need to get my daughter ready for college and that means cleaning out 18 years worth of "stuff" in her room and helping her purchase the necessities for her dorm room.
Gaol #6: Relax
This SHOULD be goal #1 but realistically, I'm just not built to relax. My brain is always working and I need to be busy and productive. I feel really restless and guilty when I'm not accomplishing my goals/to do list.  I'm really going to try to schedule relaxation into my summer days. As ridiculous as that may sound, it is something I actually have to do. I love to read so my summer reading list is already in the works. Any suggestions? I love thrillers, mysteries, historical fiction, and anything by Nicholas Sparks (yes, I'm cheesy).

So, what are your summer goals? Link up with us! Click the button below to check out what everyone else wrote.

I'm back for May Currently

Oh wow, I haven't blogged in WAY too long. Let's see if I even remember how to do this! I feel so bad, but life has been throwing me curveballs lately and sadly, my little ol' blog is on the back burner. I decided to crawl out of my cave for one good reason: Farley's May Currently linky!

Listening: everyone's asleep except me and the birds outside. It is so peaceful to have the house quiet and just hear those happy little birds chirping and singing away out there. 

Loving: self explanatory, but now I'm noticing those toes need some TLC...pedicure time!

Thinking: my oldest is graduating from high school and I can scarcely go one day without tearing up a little (ok, a lot) just thinking about her going off to college and not getting to see her beautiful face everyday. She got a soccer scholarship (her dream come true) and will be playing at a small school only two hours away. I'm super excited to help her decorate her dorm room and we are two weeks away from the big P-A-R-T-Y! That reminds me, I have a ton of stuff to do! I hope Party City has really big carts...

Wanting: I would like a big life remote control. I would like to fast forward through the commercials (staff meetings, grading work, giving tests, laundry, chores), pause it for a while so I can get things done, and replay the really good parts (graduation, weekends, parties, soccer games, time with my daughters). Time is one of those slippery things that you can't hold onto when you want to, yet it won't go fast enough when you need it to. 

Needing:like I mentioned above, life has been a little out of whack. I won't bore you with the details, but I'm feeling pretty worn out and truly want to finish the last 3 weeks of school with a smile on my face and the kind of energy the kiddos deserve. I have had such a great school year and have great kiddos too, but they have been driving me totally, completely, 100% nuts lately. Deep breath. 15 days.

Summer yes: I seriously can't wait to go the TpT conference in LV this summer!

Summer hope: I really hope my daughter can find a good summer job so she'll quit asking me for money!

Summer dream: I'd love to reorganize and decorate my home office. It's a total mess and doesn't feel like a place I want to be right now. Maybe a pretty office will make me want to blog more??? It's worth a try, right?