St. Patty's Day Digi Freebies :)

I always get a little stuck on St. Patty's Day decor.  I don't want a whole mess of rainbows or pots of gold, and half the crafts out there are for children--and almost all the other  half LOOK like children made them.  :)  Finding sophisticated and yet fun decor is just hard sometimes.

Here's an 8 x 10 freebie (the one you download is blank, ready for you to just insert your own pics and print off!).  Paint a cheap frame green and sparkly, scatter some gold coins around the base, and you'll be set!  I saw this idea via Pinterest and knew instantly I wanted a digital version to change out over the years, and even though they have a template for Photoshop I can't really figure out how to use it on Paint.NET...so I made my own.  :)  (Special thanks to Tam from Sew Dang Cute Crafts for the idea and template, even if I didn't use it...and to Trina from Delicious Scraps for the free Lucky Me kit I mostly used for the projects...mostly... :)

(Download HERE)

 

And, to go with, it, a little 5 x 7 jpg for you to record 5 things that made you "lucky" each day.  :)  Just print it off, put it into a cute 5x7 frame with glass, and use a dry erase marker to write and wipe off your gratitude lists each day!  :) 

(Download HERE)

Hope you like them!  More ideas to come...I hope.  I've got a few Dollar Tree items just waiting for someone to be creative enough to use up. :)  I love St. Patty's Day, always have, because it's the day before my BIRTHDAY.  So I always feel lucky.  :)

Happy Scrapping Decorating Celebrating!

The Coolest Library App Ever!

So. In anticipation of hopefully having a classroom of my own next year, I've been giving some serious thought to how I want the little things to run. One thing of particular concern is my library, especially not knowing what levels I need to stock up on or really figuring out how I want it to all run...

...until now!

BookRetriever is an AWESOME app that lets you scan in all your books, create a class list, and allow students to check in and out books. If your book doesn't have a barcode to scan, you can generate one right from the app! It's super user friendly, even for kids. I could easily see us eventually doing something like this around the house, too!  Anywho, I'll walk you through the basics, in case a cheap app isn't appealing enough for you...and then tell you what I don't like about it.

Here is what the home screen looks like. Clean icons and simple labels. Love it already!

When you click on "Add Book," you can choose to scan barcode, search by title or ISBN, or input manually. Here's the manual part. Note the many different ways you can record the level a book!

You can see your library and all the books you have. Handy. You can also check here to see what books are checked out, etc.

If you click on students, you can add people here. Obviously I don't have a classroom yet, so I used a few family/friend names to see how it all worked. You can add new people just by clicking the + and you can even add in parent and contact info!

If you click on a student's name, this screen shows up. Notice how there's a chance to see what books that student has out, as well!

When you go to check out a book, this is what comes up. You literally just scan your book and scroll down to your name and click on it. Voila! Finished!

This is the screen that comes up when you want to make a barcode label for your books. I have been surprised how many of my books, especially the classics, don't have barcodes! This is easier, I think, than having kids search for titles each time.

Pretty sweet, huh? I'm in love. Did I mention it is ONE DOLLAR? Cause I'm pretty sure it was. :) The only real drawbacks are that it occasionally crashes and you have to restart it (especially when building your digital library), and the limited database. Only about 1/3 of my books actually scanned, so manually inputting each book (not to mention I haven't even looked up levels yet) is time consuming in the beginning. Also, the editing option is limited to how many copies you have (so if an author is unlisted you can't just list it, etc.). Hopefully these are things they will fix soon. But it's still VERY worth it.

My classroom librarian will have more to do than just tidying up the books occasionally--they'll get to create labels, check in on how many students have books that are almost or over due, and get to hound everyone for me! All at, literally, the push of a button! Wahoo! 

I love this day and age.
 
 
 
 
 
 

GoodWill Goodies

The lines were long this morning...but oh so worth it!

I got there a couple hours after it opened, so I didn't find the usual clothing scores...aside from an awesome dress that is just perfect (pic later of it actually on me) and a tie for Paul. So, naturally, I headed to the book section.

THE BOOK SECTION!

I don't usually have the patience to look through every stinking book they have, but with having my own classroom a very real possibility next year and the lines not getting any smaller, I decided to give it a whirl. And I'm so glad I did! 23 books, 21 of them various children's books, for a mere $7.35. Gotta love that!

The books include 3 Judy Moody books, a boxcar children, some Disney I Spy books, a few nonfiction books about rainforests and the Pony Express, a very boy book (Knights of the Kitchen Table) by John Scieszka, some Winnie the pooh books, etc...plus Trumpet of the Swan and Summer of the Swans, two books I remember loving as a kid. :) And 2nd copies of The Legend of the Bluebonnet (DePaola is a fave of mine even now) and The Paper Bag Princess. Lots of goodies to add to the collection! I also got young reader novels of HighSchool  Musical 1 and 3 and a ballet book for Katherine, the girl I am a para for. I will most definitely be checking their kids books out every month from now on! You can't really beat $0.35 a pop!

 

 

 

Weight Watchers, Week 3

Hello!  Another week down, and it wasn't all that bad, even with a dozen cookies from a secret buddy at work, a splurge on a Kit Kat Bar, and eating out once!  I hit my first goal, my 5% goal (passed it, actually, for a total of 12 pounds so far), and am now working towards a new 10% weight loss goal.  :)  This is just through changing my diet, not my exercising routines (yet)! 

I don't really notice or feel a difference in my own body yet, though.  I haven't lost a pants size or anything, and I feel like my gut is as big as ever...so I'm not quite sure where these points are melting away from!  And I have to admit, some days I feel super deprived and other days I feel like I'm shoving food begrudgingly in my mouth at the end of the day to use up all my points.  I'm rarely hungry anymore, and smaller meals are the norm now, but I am ALWAYS MUNCHY.  So my new goal for this week, in addition to walking with a coworker after school AND doing 1/2 hour of yoga in the mornings, is to chop up veggies and have whole fruits handy for when I'm getting the munchies, instead of wasting the points on low-calorie chocolate brownies, peanut butter, and the like.  :)  This will save those points for much-needed lean proteins, and more CARBS!  (Not that I'm not eating them now, but sometimes I don't so I can sneak in a brownie later...no bueno!)  Also, no more chopping fruits up for fruit salad--I tend to eat WAY MORE than I need to if it's in a salad form, which is eating into our budget.  So whole fruits, one at a time, will be better for our wallet AND my waistline.

Although, my hubby got a HUGE promotion at work this week so I WILL be eating out tonight...and there WILL also be Cold Stone involved.  :)  Thank goodness for those activity points I'll be racking up!

Anywho, here are some of the meals that have kept me satisfied this week, as always, with recipes to come (linked in the captions):

Easy Egg White Omelette (my new favorite breakfast!) WW 2+ Points

Raspberry-Dijon Glazed Ham (WW 5+ Points)

Grilled Cuban Chicken with Black Bean and Mango Salsa (WW 7+ Points)

Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloin (WW 3+ Points)

Lemon Chicken & Broccoli with Penne (WW 6+ Points)

Enjoy!

Lemon Chicken & Broccoli with Penne (WW 6 Points+)

I made a double-batch of this, so that I could have enough and leftovers and Paul wouldn't starve.  This recipe, though, serves 4. I made it serve 8, which really served 3 actual servings and then Paul could eat the rest.  And he did, happily, because this lemon chicken is light and DELISH.  I also added in 1/4 c. cooked whole grain penne per serving because the sauce and everything sort of DEMANDED a delicious carb.  I highly recommend it.  That's what makes each serving 6 points instead of 4.  Just FYI.  :)

 

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
12 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into THIN slices
2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 c. chicken broth, fat-free and reduced sodium
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 1/2 c. uncooked broccoli florets (FRESH)
2 tsp. lemon zest
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine flour, salt, and pepper on a plate and toss chicken pieces in it 'til coated well.
2. Heat oil in large skillet or pot/wok, add chicken and cook 'til lightly browned.  Remove chicken to a plate.
3. Put 1 c. broth and garlic into pan, and bring to a boil, scraping browned bits off the bottom.
4. Once boiling, add broccoli and cook about 1 minute.
5. In small cup, stir together remaining 1/2 c. broth, 1/2 tbsp. flour and 1/4 tsp. salt; add to skillet and bring to simmer over low heat.
6. Cook until broccoli is crisp-tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.  Stir in chicken and lemon zest, heat through.
7. Remove from heat.  Stir in parsley and lemon juice. 

Serves 4.  1 c. per serving = 4 Points.  Add in 1/4 c. cooked penne for an additional 2 points/serving. 

Enjoy!

Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin (WW 3 Points+)

I had people asking me to make this again.  So I think it was a hit!  It's so simple, easy, and hardly any real work for ME, so I think I can oblige them!  The pork turns out SO moist, and the herbs give it a fresh feel.  Serve it up with some salad for an easy plants + protein meal!

 

INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
2 pounds LEAN pork tenderloin, raw

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400.  Coat a shallow baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine herbs/powders/salt/pepper in a small bowl.  Rub oil all over pork, then sprinkle with herb mix.  Place in prepared pan.
3. Roast about 35 minutes, or 'til cooked through.
4. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing thinly. 

Serves 8.
1 Serving = 3 Points+

Grilled Cuban Chicken with Black Bean & Mango Salsa (WW 7+ Points)

Oh, man.  I could eat this chicken ALL DAY LONG.  Or at least the salsa.  Seriously, Paul and I are hoping to make a huge bowl of it sometime and just eat it all up with some chips.  I have no idea how many points that would be, but whatever it is, it'd be WORTH IT!  That's how delicious, soft, sweet-and-tangy this dish is! 

 

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c. orange juice (can have mix-ins...ours actually had mango fruit juice, too)
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 4 5-ounce pieces.  (Basically I took the two smallest breasts in the frozen bag I buy and then one medium piece and cut it in half...)
1 c. cubed mango (about 1 actual mango)
1 c. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp. red onion, chopped finely

DIRECTIONS:
1. In small bowl, mix OJ, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Remove 1/2 cup and place in baggie or bowl, and add chicken (turning to coat).  Seal and marinate in fridge for at least one hour.
2. Meanwhile, to make salsa, add beans, mango, and onion to the remaining OJ mixture.  Toss well (I added a little more cilantro here), and refrigerate up to 12 hours (I just did the one, too).
3. Grill chicken until cooked through (took about 8 minutes on my indoor grill). 

1 piece of chicken and 1/2 c. salsa = 1 serving = 7 Points+.  Serves 4.

Raspberry-Dijon Glazed Ham (WW 5 Points+)

This was SO GOOD.  SO good.  And easy, which made for a great Sunday night dinner!  Also, it makes 8 servings so it's great for those of us whose spouses AREN'T on any diets and/or if you need leftovers!  Hope you like it as much as we did!

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/4 c. dijon mustard, the grainiest you can find (with seeds)
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
a 2-pound cooked, smoked lean ham (I actually found one at Walmart...score!)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325. Coat a small baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Make glaze by stirring first four ingredients together well.  Save about half to serve with the ham.
3. Prepare ham for glaze by scoring 1/8"-deep criss cross marks all over the top and sides of ham.  Brush with half the glaze.
4. Bake for 1 hour, brushing with glaze every 15 minutes.  Thinly slice ham and serve with reserved glaze.

Serves 8, with about 1 Tbsp. extra glaze included per serving.  :)  Each serving = 5 Points+

YUM!  We served this with a veggie/salad mix.  And, of course, fruit salad from the weekend.  :)

Easy Egg White Omelette (WW 2 Points+)

I have found a lovely way to get in THREE OR FOUR FOOD GROUPS in the mornings without hardly even thinking about it, AND it's only 2 Points...not a bad start to the day!  Here are my easy egg white omelettes!

INGREDIENTS:

3 Egg Whites
3/4 c. frozen or fresh finely chopped veggies (for EASE in the mornings I buy the seasoning mix, which includes frozen onion, celery, and peppers, as well as a package of chopped frozen spinach...it's all pretty cheap and I hardly have to work at all for it!)
1 Tbsp. shredded cheese

1. In a small bowl, beat egg whites just until they start to change color--hardly at all, but nice and scrambly for sure.  Add in the veggies.
2. Spray a medium-sized frying pan with 1 spray of olive oil or vegetable oil.  Pour in the egg/veggie mix and, if necessary, flatten/spread out with a spatula (my frozen veggies need this sometimes, but I don't think they would if they were fresh).
3. Cook until the top loses its shine.  Sprinkle cheese on top, fold in half, and slide onto a plate.

Serve with a side of fresh fruit and enjoy!  Protein and TWO fruits/veggies servings in one meal.  (P.S. If you want carbs and to make it an even more complete breakfast, you could serve it alongside a whole grain English muffin--only 3+ Points more!)

Digiscrapping Blog Trains Galore!

There are some FANTASTIC freebies out in the digiscrapping world EVERY start of a new month, but I found this month's to be extra fun and wanted to remind you all about them!  Remember, digiscrapping is the most fun when it's FREE!  :)

First up, how cute are these lil' monsters?  With a fun, bright palette, this MEGA kit by dozens of designers is perfect for tickle monsters, silly faces, or any other fun pics of your own little monsters.  I am actually thinking about having this exact color palette and monster theme in my classroom someday (after I get tired of the LEGO one, of course!) and can't wait to use this kit as part of the decor!  Check out "Monsters, Monsters Everywhere!" at Stuff to Scrap!

Next up, take a ride to the Orient with Digi Scrap Forum's "The Chinese Orient."  If you eat Chinese/Japanese/Thai takeout as much as we do, or if you have fun celebrating the Chinese New Year, this kit is perfect for you!  And even if you don't, the orangey pinky red colors are beautiful and well-worth investing in just for the normal papers and generic embellishments!  Check it out HERE!

And, last but not least, who is ready for SPRING?!  I know I sure am!  This superkit from the Digi Shop Talk blog train, "Bright Days Ahead," is perfect for the dreamy and sweet springtime pages soon to come!  It's amazing to me how the same color palettes look so different from designer to designer--not that the colors don't blend, but how one can be dark and rich, while another can be light and fresh!  Anywho, without further ado, check out "Bright Days Ahead" HERE!

 

As always, happy scrapping!