Crock Pot Love

Ok, busy teachers ... here's a quick middle of the week post about how much I love my crock pot and coming home to a hot, ready meal! This morning I put together Chicken Three Bean Mole Chili... It took me 6 minutes to throw this meal together this morning... seriously, 6 minutes! And, it was absolutely delicious!
I love this crock pot cookbook that I once found at a Ross store, it's super simple and has all types of crock pot recipes!

Ingredients Needed

4 Chicken breasts ( I shred them after they are all cooked)
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chili beans in spicy sauce, undrained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup mole
2 t cumin
2 t coriander
2 t chili powder
2 t minced garlic

Toppings:
Shredded Cheese, crushed tortilla chips, quesadilla, sour cream, cilantro, anything you would like!

1. Throw all ingredients into your crockpot
2. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or 2-4 hours on high
3. When done, shred chicken in crockpot
4. Serve with toppings of your choice (or, if you're like me ... all of them)

Voila! That's it!!! So delicious and simple ... my kind of meal!

Do you have any crock pot meals that you love? Did you try this one? Let me know!

The Sunday Scoop

I'm taking some time to link up with the Teaching Trio  today because I finished my lesson plans a little early and am sitting here watching my Seahawks! I like this concept because it reminds me to enjoy some of the little things and think about my to-do list! So, here's the scoop on what I need to get done today!

I've already finished lesson planning, and am starting to think about what things I need to add to my concept board this week. I am desperately needing to go to the grocery store and get dog food, otherwise they are going to be getting scrambled eggs for dinner.

What are you doing this weekend? Join up with us over at the teaching trio and share... maybe it will remind me of what I need to do! 

Five For Friday! January 8, 2016

Anybody else out there still doing this on a daily basis?

I know I am, and will be until the end of March:(

But, I digress, it's a new year and time for a link up with one of my favorite linky parties! I'm joining up with doodle bugs teaching  for her weekly 5 for Friday link up.

I put my file cabinet to use! I moved my jobs board here so that I could use the whiteboard space for reminders, homework, and our monthly character trait.

I am starting a "Problem of the Week" for my math early finishers. Hopefully I can stay up with creating these posters and laminate them for future use. This should be an extension type problem with a challenge added for those early finishers and gifted students. I will be making a blog post on this soon, as I work out the kinks. I am excited to see how my kiddos do!

I've been working on a HUGE teacherspayteachers project. It is a year round spiral review for all third grade ELA standards. Right now, I have the first 7 weeks done and I will post it when I have nine weeks done. Hopefully, I can get that done by the end of January. I was hoping to have it up for the new year, but it's taking a lot more time to create than I anticipated. My teammates and I have been using it, and boy are we seeing magic results! My other teammate is also creating one for Math. I will post both links when they're ready :) Also, I am in need of a catchy name - so if you can think of one for me, you'll get this pack for free!

I saw this on Facebook over break, and knew I needed to try it in my teeny tiny classroom ...

So I did, albeit it's a tad different to fit ...

There's a row of five in the front  ( my five most distracted ), two groups of 8 and a group of 4. I'll see how it goes this week - hopefully I can handle this and not go back to the two rows facing each other!

My teammate gave me the greatest idea - she's turning 40 this year and is doing a 40 things I will do in the year I turn 40 challenge. She thought this would be a great way to do resolutions with the kiddos at work! By doing something like 8 things I will do in the year I turn 8 or 9 things I will do in the year I turn 9.  I'm going to do one too, and as soon as I think of some good things this weekend, I will post a blog about it. Hopefully I can stick to my 28 things I will do in the year I turn 28!

What did you accomplish this week? I'm glad to be going back to a routine, but not so sure about setting an alarm after two and a half weeks!

Home Office Love

This winter break, I took on my office as a project, and boy oh boy, am I in love with the results! I'm just going to leave a bunch of pictures here for you to swoon over. I am still working on a few little projects and am looking for more cute things to put on my shelves... but until I find what I'm looking for (and invest in some more gold spray paint) I'm going to be happy with what I have finished!

Before:
When I bought the house, it was a little girl's room, since I don't have a little girl, I figured it would be the perfect spot for my office. With all that storage, I couldn't go wrong!

I left it that green for the time being, but knew that I wanted something bright and inspiring. 

So, I gave into the coral and gold craze.

After:

I have been so inspired to work lately, because I love this room! I have been organizing files, prepping TPT projects, and working hard at getting ready to go back to school. 

What inspiring projects have you taken on lately? I would love to see them! 

Winter Writing

Hi Y'all! Two posts in one week! That's gotta be crazy talk!!! I guess these extra few days of winter break have got me singing the boredom blues... I know, I know... I shouldn't say these things... because on Thursday I will be like ...

But, I can't complain... I only have a two day work week this week, so it will be like tiptoeing into the kiddie pool to get back to the swing of things.

This break, I have been working on a lot of projects for my classroom, and for TPT... I've gotta doozie of one in the making, and hopefully by Monday, I will have the first installment ready for upload. But until then, I have been working on another little freebie for my followers out there...

My teammate and I started creating weekly writing assignments that the kids can work through pretty independently by this time in the year. I have seen a lot of great results for published writing, and love that it only takes a week! Each day has a focus - depending on the type of writing that the students' will be working on. It takes them through the writing process and helps students to work independently.

So, here it is! Click on the Free! Button for your download. If you use it, I would love to get some feedback from you :)

I've been a little busy ...but here's my January Currently!

Opps ... I haven't blogged since September. Yikes

What can I say, a new house, new school, new grade level, new puppy ... they kind of all got in the way... but, I promise ... I'm going to try again! It's a resolution, so I at least have to try!

I'm starting back with an easy one, and one of my favorites - Currently. I know, I'm late to the party ... but I'm not so late that I'm unfashionable, right?


So, here it is!

Listening: I really don't care for either of these teams ... the only reason it's on and I'm slightly paying attention is because Kellen Moore (the quarterback for my beloved Boise State Broncos during most of my four year tenure) is the starting quarterback for the Cowboys right now. He's not doing so hot, and it makes me a little sad, but it is Bronco History.

Loving: I am a lucky person. I was lucky to be hired on at an amazing school this year, and I have had so few headaches compared to years in the past (figuratively) we work hard, and believe in teaching bell to bell - that means no extra crafts or class parties the week before Winter Break, but it also means that I get three extra days off - I don't have to go back to work until the 7th and it's so relaxing to know that I can spend a little extra down time with my pups and the boyfriend watching football today.

Thinking: I know I should get some extra things done around the house since I have a few extra days off... and some cabinets cleaned out at school! 

Wanting: It has been so cold ... like 15 degrees most days. I need some warm weather and no more inversion in my life! 

Needing: I have the greatest students - I received a pedicure gift certificate this year for a Christmas present - that will definitely be used this week for a little added relaxation!

One little word: I hope this word sums up your break as well! I have so enjoyed my time off this break - I had the chance to spend a week at my parents, paint my office a fabulous new color, clean and organize the house a bit, and work on a few bigger projects for teacherspayteachers (I'll post more about that later, but they aren't quite finished yet!)