Here’s one way to ensure you don’t forget about the goals and/or resolutions that you’ve made for the new year.

Write a key phrase like “drinking 3 glasses of water?” in your calendar each month on the same day. This way you won’t forget about your resolution after a few months.  Just tailor the question or reminder to whatever your goal is. Write it once a week, once a month, or a few times throughout the year, depending on how many reminders you think you need.

Here are a few examples of phrases or questions you might write (all things I personally want to keep in mind):

– Planning a meal before grocery shopping?

– Kids brushing their teeth twice a day?

– Drinking green tea three times/week?

– Speed cleaning the house once a day?

Best of luck with forming the habits you want to form! What key phrase or question will you write?

~Carrie
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Followers are similar to how kids feel about goldfish crackers. You can never have too many.

I enjoy blogging about children’s literature and simple ways to make life easier.

If you’re not following me, I’d love for you to do just that! But, no pressure!
Right now there are four ways to follow me:

Facebook (I post there when I add new blog posts)
Pinterest (I love to pin interesting teaching and family ideas)
TpT Store (get updates on my latest resources, freebies, and special offers)
Follow with Bloglovin (I finally got a bloglovin account- woo hoo!)

Thank you for considering adding me to your social media circle. (=
~Carrie

Are you looking for a thoughtful gift for someone? Consider “The Memory Jar”.

 

Materials you’ll need:
– Jar
– Paper
– Writing Utensil
– Scissors

Nice containers/jars might be available at your local craft store. Or a mason jar looks nice as well. Decide on what kind of paper you’d like to use. It can be colorful or plain white, whatever you prefer. Finally, hand write memories that you’ve had with the recipient.

Try to think of favorite moments, funny times, and other small moments you remember over the years. Cut the memories out, fold them in half, and place them in the jar. This gift is one that will be treasured forever. It’s great for your spouse, children, parents, siblings, friends, grandparents, etc.

 

I actually made my husband a memory jar for Valentine’s Day fourteen years ago. He still has it, and as I read through what I wrote, I had forgotten that some of the events even happened. As we get older, that’ll probably happen even more often LOL.

One final recommendation is to make a copy of the memories you wrote. It’s fun for you to look back at. Also, if you add more to the jar in the future, you’ll know which ones you’ve already given.

Would you like to receive this gift?
~ Carrie

 

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I enjoyed compiling this list of different Gingerbread Man versions. There are many I haven’t read yet.

 

22 Different Versions of Gingerbread Man Books:

The Gingerbread Man by Karen Schmidt

The Gingerbread Man by Carol Jones (or many other authors)

Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett

The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup

The Gingerbread Man Loose in School by Laura Murray

The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst

The Gingerbread Boy by Richard Egielski

The Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone

Gingerbread Man Superhero by Dottie Enderle

Gingerbread Mouse by Katy Bratun

Three Pigs and a Gingerbread Man by Hilary Robinson

The Gingerbread Cowboy by Janet Squires

The Gingerbread Man Loose on the Fire Truck by Laura Murray

The Library Gingerbread Man by Dottie Enderle

The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers by Lisa Campbell Ernst

The Gingerbread Bear by Robert Dennis

The Musubi Man: Hawaii’s Gingerbread Man by Sandi Takayama

The Gingerbread Man- The Foxes Side by Nyima Sanneh

The Gurabia Man (Armenian Gingerbread Man) by Talene Dadian White

Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett

The Gingerbread Man and the Dinosaurs by Nina Ost

Senorita Gordita (Tex Mex Corn Cake version) by Helen Ketteman

Are there any more titles that aren’t on the list? Which one is your favorite? Which one do you hope to read?

If you put a few on hold at the library, you’ll probably have time to read them before Christmas!

~Carrie

p.s. Just in case you’re curious, “Disguise a Gingerbread Man” and “Gingerbread Man Paper Bag Puppets” are available in my TpT store. The above book list is included as part of these resources.

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I was excited to hear about the book Sky Color by Peter H. Reynolds.

It’s about a girl who wanted to paint the sky, but didn’t have blue paint. The story goes through her journey of realizing the sky can be other colors besides blue. I love books like this because it shows readers ways of thinking outside of the box.

It also shows the benefits of improvisation and grit.

“Marisol rummaged through the box of paint but could not find any blue.”
I created some reading responses for the book. Here are a few examples of the prompts:

• What if you didn’t have red to color an apple? How might it look?
• What if you didn’t have pink to color a rose? How might it look?
• What if you didn’t have yellow to color a rubber ducky? How might it look?

These questions would be a great time filler for kids at home or in the classroom. Or try them out yourself, if you’d like. (=

Three different formats of the prompts included:
– 26 half-sheets with pictures to color
– 26 half-sheets with a blank spot for students to draw their own picture to color
– 26 task cards

Click here to see more about the response sheets. There are no wrong answers with these printables. Have you read the book? What color will you make the sky the next time you draw a picture? I think I’ll give pink a try.

~Carrie

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