Read. Write. Mom!

Monster Truck K-1st Grade Printable Learning Pack

Posted on February 16, 2016September 29, 2022 by Mandy

Rev up your monster trucks and get ready to learn! During my time as an educator, I have come to realize that worksheets don’t normally get kids excited unless they contain some great pictures of things they actually care about. It’s true. I try my hardest to do learning centers in the library for most of my lessons, but sometimes I need to use a worksheet and I always try to find some fun ones with fun graphics to hold their attention. Fortunately, with some awesome sites like Teachers Pay Teachers, I can find just what I need, and most of the time it’s free.

MONSTER TRUCKS LEARNING PACK

This free Monster Truck K-1st Grade Learning Pack contains 8 pages of work and is absolutely free for you to download and use at home or in your classroom and hits on some great skills:

Line Tracing

Cutting Practice

Distinguishing between big and small

Letter Identification

Writing Skills

Counting & Graphing

Number Tracing

These worksheets are sure to be a hit with your little monster trucks enthusiasts!

DOWNLOAD AND PRINT YOUR FREE PRINTABLE MONSTER TRUCK K-1ST LEARNING PACK HERE

Have fun learning!

10 Fun Things to Hide in Easter Eggs that Aren’t Candy

Posted on February 15, 2016April 23, 2022 by Mandy

10 Fun Things to Hide in Easter Eggs

Easter is a wonderful holiday full of fun and meaningful messages, it can also be a sugar rush nightmare for parents! If you are among the many parents who like to hide plastic Easter eggs for their little ones to hunt you may be burnt out on filling them with candy. Your children will likely be getting enough sweets and sugary treats at school parties, in their Easter basket, and for dessert at grandma’s house! Here are 10 fun things to hide in Easter eggs to spice up your holiday traditions! There are even some great ideas for older kids who do not want to give up on the fun and tradition.

Money

This is always a fan favorite…Money is a great treat to hide in Easter eggs! You can hide coins or dollar bills and kids are excited to have new additions to their savings or piggy banks!

Toys

If you’ve ever been to the birthday party section of any store you know what kind of toys I’m talking about. They make all kinds of cool toys in a tiny version for birthday party gift bags. You can grab a few different kinds of items and use them to hide in Easter eggs! If you have multiple kids or are doing a group egg hunt kids will have a great time trading their items around afterwards; it’s a whole afternoon of fun enjoying their new toys.

One of the best parts about being in school is all the cool accessories! By the time Easter rolls around there is a good chance their favorite school supplies are looking a little ragged. Use this opportunity to give them a fun surprise in their Easter eggs! Erasers, mini markers, even tiny staplers will make a fun addition to this year’s Easter egg hunt.

Confetti

If you like to play little tricks on your kids confetti can be a fun item to hide in Easter eggs! Confetti or glitter will be a fun and exciting surprise when they open their eggs after the hunt! You may want to make sure they open them in a place that is easy to clean up if you decide to fill any eggs will confetti and glitter! I love these confetti eggs that already come with everything you need!

Coupons

Include coupons for fast food treats, or a day off from a particular chore. Giving these little coupons for fun treats and rewards can be a great alternative to traditional candy for Easter egg hunts!

Game Pieces

Obviously you can’t fit an entire board game inside an Easter egg but you could instead add the game pieces or instructions! This is a fun way for your child to find out about a new game or surprise!

Treasure Hunt Clues

Instead of hiding treats or toys in your Easter eggs you can put in clues for a treasure hunt! Have your kids search for their eggs and then they get to go on a second adventure to find the gifts! You can tailor the clues to suit any age group while at the same time giving them a memorable experience!

Numbers

If you have older kids who really get competitive during their Easter egg hunt you may want to try this cool twist when hiding things in their eggs! Place numbers inside each egg that correspond to a list of prizes. Before you hand out prizes you can let the kids swap their numbers around to try and get ones that they think will be lucky!

Arcade Approach

Much like an arcade or game venue you can use prize tickets to equal out to specific prizes. This is a great way to give kids a chance to work on their math skills and also a fun way to keep them entertained for longer than the 10 minutes they spend finding the eggs! You can put varying numbers of tickets in each egg; let them add up their totals to see what kinds of things they can “buy” with their tickets! This is especially great for older kids who can get more out of an egg hunt than just candy and toys!

Experiences

Instead of hiding a tangible item in each egg you might consider putting clues or aspects of a trip in each egg. Perhaps you have a little sports fan or a traveler on your hands, instead of giving them treats or toys you can give them an experience! You can put clues in the eggs and let them guess or you can come right out and tell them what they will be doing! This is an excellent way to get the whole family involved in the fun of an Easter egg hunt!

I hope these fun things to hid in Easter eggs will help you make your Easter egg hunt so much fun! What do you hide in your Easter eggs each year? Did you ever lose one that gets found by the dog a few days later?

What That Loud Swishing Sound in My Ear Was

Posted on February 14, 2016February 14, 2016 by Mandy

Right before Christmas I started hearing a loud, swishing sound in my ear every time I went to bed. It sounded like it was in perfect rhythm with my heartbeat, like I was hearing my heart beat inside my ear. It was so annoying. The weather had been going back and forth from warm to cold so much I figured it was just a sinus problem. I treated it as such and tried several decongestants. I even tried some over the counter ear drops, but nothing helped.

A couple of weeks passed and I decided to consult Dr. Google. Dr. Google is great for scaring the heck out of us, no? Anyway, Dr. Google said that I probably had Pulsatile Tinnitus. And it really did sound as if I did. The symptoms were all there…swishing sound in the ears, worse at bedtime, etc. Just from reading the comments of other people on several articles I read about pulsatile tinnitus it seemed like there wasn’t much hope of it going away soon. It sounded like something you had to wait out or consult a ton of specialists. Have you tried getting an appointment with a specialist lately? Ha!

In the meantime, along with having this annoying swishing sound in my ear (which at this point had become more noticeable during the day time), I was very irritable. I came home from work and HAD to have a nap. I normally stay up until around ten every night, but by 8:00 P.M. I was wiped out, even though I’d had a nap just a few short hours earlier. I found myself slacking on the housework (something I don’t really ever slack on) and rushing my son through his homework so I could go to bed again. I chalked it up to getting older. I’m 41, so that’s ancient, right?

This past Thursday afternoon, I started to feel just rotten at work by the end of the day. I could feel a full-blown sinus infection coming on, I was running fever, and my head and neck felt so tight I thought that my head just might pop right off. I also noticed that swishing sound was louder and more annoying than ever. I decided the next day I was taking a sick day. I HAD to get some relief and I HAD to figure out how to get rid of that annoying sound in my ears once and for all. I didn’t care how many specialists I had to see. The sound was maddening at this point!

And so the next day I went to the doctor. Yes, he could see my right ear was a little irritated. Yes, he could see my sinus issue was about to become a full blown case of the Delta Crud. But that’s not the reason why my ears were swishing. Do you know why my ears were swishing?

My blood pressure was 180/110.

Blood pressure. Now, I did have some blood pressure issues right after I had my son, but it quickly resolved and I never felt like this. My doctor said it was pretty near the “freak out range” and prescribed me some medication and so I took that little pill and prayed it would give me some relief.

By that night I could feel the pressure releasing from my head and neck area. By the next day, I was stirring around better and noticed the swishing sound was just a faint little swish. By that night, I was cleaning my house with little effort and worried that I was overdoing it. But I was doing it…and it didn’t seem to be sucking the life out of me anymore!

I can’t believe I walked around for over a month like this. I can’t believe how truly horrible I was feeling, but didn’t realize it. The pain and pressure had just become something I was resigned to live with. I even blamed it on my arthritis and the weather!

All this to say…..if you reached this post by consulting Dr. Google about a swishing sound in your ear, for Pete’s sake, GO TO YOUR DOCTOR AND GET YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKED! I’m not kidding. I never would have thought it was this either, because I didn’t have a blood pressure problem to begin with. But I do now.

Photo Credit: ©Stasique/Dollar Photo Club

Keep A List of Movies to Watch With a Printable Movie Night Checklist

Posted on February 10, 2016September 29, 2022 by Mandy

I’m not a huge movie watcher, so when I see a preview for a movie I actually do want to take the time to watch, I have to write the name of it down immediately or I just forget! I also don’t go to the movie theater very often, so months may pass before a movie I want to watch is finally available on Netflix or through Redbox. That’s quite a bit of time to wait, so writing it down for me is a must! If you have a big family or you watch a ton of movies, having a printable movie night checklist will definitely help you keep those movies you want to watch fresh in your mind and make it so much easier to choose the next time you have a movie night.

PRINTABLE MOVIE NIGHT CHECKLIST

Click here to download your free printable Movie Night Checklist.

30 Plus Must-Read Dr. Seuss Books

Posted on February 9, 2016February 7, 2016 by Mandy

As a children’s librarian, I can’t imagine a world without Dr. Seuss books! Seriously, I can’t keep books written by Dr. Seuss on my shelves for long because they are constantly checked out. Constantly! These classics are a must for every family to read. Full of unique, fun, and silly stories, these books will give everyone a grin at story time! Here are 30 plus must-read Dr. Seuss books that your kids will definitely enjoy! Step into Dr. Seuss’s world and help The Lorax save the truffula trees, try some Green Eggs and Ham, or spend sometime with The Cat in the Hat.

30 PLUS MUST-READ DR. SEUSS BOOKS

There are Dr. Seuss book sets available as well. Including this Little Blue Box of Board Books, which is great for a baby shower or birthday gift. Or this one, Six by Seuss book which includes six stories in one.

What are your favorite Dr. Seuss books to devour? Did they make our list? Share with us!

5 Fun Ways to Budget

Posted on February 8, 2016February 7, 2016 by Mandy

Managing your budget does not need to be a giant headache. There are lots of great ways to budget that are fun and easy. You can take any of the many approaches to budgeting and turn it into an enjoyable experience by using these 5 fun ways to budget! They’re easy to do and will help you meet your budget goals in no time!

5 FUN WAYS TO BUDGET

Take Advantage of Online Systems and Apps

There are tons of cool online programs and smartphone apps that can help you manage your budget! Many of them come with cool incentives and rewards that can help you stay excited and motivated when it comes to your monthly budget! The great thing about these programs and apps is that they make running a budget seem like a game or activity. They keep your information easily accessible and many of them can keep a running tab of daily expenditures. The more control you have over your budget the most successful you will be!

Speaking of fun apps, did you know you can earn cash and gift cards just by shopping at your local stores and buying the things you normally buy? It’s true! I personally use ibotta and Shopkick (These are affiliate links, by the way!). I’m shopping my way to gift cards and Paypal. Literally!

Find a Partner

Even if you are running a budget for your household or family it can often be a lonely endeavor. Get your best friend on board! If you are both going through the same struggles with the same types of questions and concerns you will have a partner to help support you while you budget! You can use your budget as a fun reason to get together and discuss what works and what doesn’t. What is more fun than doing anything with your best friend? Budgeting will be no different; working with someone else can take the stress and concern out of the whole process. Having someone to bounce ideas off of can help validate your concerns and give you someone to celebrate with when you succeed!

Visual Reminders

One easy and fun way to budget is by setting aside all the unnecessary funds each month for a future purchase. This is a great way to save for family vacations, large purchases, and even for something like a down payment on a vehicle or a home! Instead of just planning to spend the money you save on whatever large purchase you have in mind, print out some photos, make a poster for the living room wall, tape a picture to the inside of your planner, get yourself some visual reminders and place them around your desk at work and your home! These constant reminders will help make sure that when the going gets tough you can keep on going. You will be tempted to leave early while working overtime, you may want to cheat and order out when there is plenty of food to cook at home, temptation will come and visual reminders will help make sure you are prepared to fight it off!

Pick Up a New Skill

Another easy and fun way to budget is to spend your weekly income on only the necessities. Cut out all entertainment funds, miscellaneous funds, etc. This is about the simplest form of a budget there is but instead of sitting at home bored and restless work on improving yourself by learning a new skill. This is particularly useful if you can turn that skill into a side business to earn some extra cash! Perhaps you like to write, craft, blog, or do home improvement projects; all of these are marketable skills. You can use that extra money to fund your entertainment or you can add it to your ever growing savings! Check out your local library for classes and workshops; many local libraries offer all kinds of programs and seminars that are free to the public!

Join an Online Support Group

If there is not an online budget support group that speaks to you consider starting one! One really fun and easy way to budget and stick to it is by sharing resources and being part of a community. There are tons of personal finance blogs out there that offer free tips, instructions, printable sheets and plans, the works. If you follow some of them you will likely glean all kinds of useful budget tips and tricks. The same is true for a Facebook group or another online community dedicated to budgets! You can likely find one that fits your particular goals or needs and this focused information and community support can really make a difference in the way you feel about your budget!

How do you budget? Do you enjoy managing your budget or is it a chore that bogs you down? Do you think these 5 fun ways to budget could work for you?

Free Inspiring Dr. Seuss Printables

Posted on February 4, 2016September 29, 2022 by Mandy

These inspiring Dr. Seuss printables are free to download and feature some of the many kernels of wisdom from Theodore Seuss Geisel, better known to you and me as “Dr. Seuss”.

FREE DR. SEUSS PRINTABLES

I plan to make a poster for my library out of the first printable. It’s so colorful and a great reminder for my students to make every day count. Just click on the desired image to download your free Dr. Seuss inspired printables and enjoy!

Warm Bread Pudding Recipe

Posted on February 2, 2016January 31, 2016 by Mandy

Now that winter is in full swing (well, part of the time here in Mississippi), I find myself looking for hot desserts to top off a meal. This warm bread pudding recipe is just as delicious as it sounds and it’s a great winter time treat! Cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg are amazing anytime of the year, but I really enjoy these flavors the most during fall and winter. If you’re looking for a little something different to satisfy your sweet tooth during the cold winter months, give this recipe a try. It’s a great dessert that’s easy to make!

Warm Bread Pudding Recipe

2 cups milk (skim or whole)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 loaf of white bread cubed
1 loaf of French bread cubed

Brown Sugar Sauce

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons whipping cream

Whipped Cream (Canned whipped cream works just as well)

2 Cups of heavy whipping Cream

1/4 cup powder sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 350º F. In 2-quart saucepan, heat milk and 1/4 cup butter over medium heat until butter is melted and milk is hot.

In large bowl, mix granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt and eggs with wire whisk until well blended.

Stir in bread cubes and raisins. Stir in milk mixture. Pour into ungreased 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish or 1 1/2-quart casserole. Place casserole in 13×9-inch pan; pour boiling water into pan until 1 inch deep.

Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge of baking dish comes out clean.

Take the bowl of your hand mixer and put it into a freezer for 10 minutes. After that, pour 2 cups of whipping cream into the bowl and mix until peaks are formed, 7 minutes. Add in powdered sugar.

In 1-quart heavy saucepan, heat all sauce ingredients to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved.

Serve sauce over warm bread pudding and top with homemade whipped cream. Store in refrigerator.