Summer Bucket List

Each summer I make a list of all my to-do's of what I need and should accomplish for the summer. Sometimes most of the time I don't finish everything. For a to-do-list-loving-person like me, that calls for some serious disappointment, but I try to not get toO hung up on it. My list usually morphs as the summer goes and items come up or disappear. What is on my list this summer?

Summer Bucket List:

 Make a special memory gift for my niece's 18^th birthday
Paint back door blue
Lose 10 pounds...aka work out and eat healthy
 Watch all 9 seasons of The Office
 See The Great Gatsby at the movie theater  Just saw it today, it was fabulous!

 Scrapbook/make photo albums for:

o  Yellowstone Vacacation (3 years ago)

o  DR vacation (2 years ago)

o  Pictures from our House (home improvement projects, etc.)

 See The Bling Ring 

 Go to the zoo
 Organize the basement

 Simplify clothes

 Read 3 books:

               o  Finish Sense and Sensibilty

               o  Memoir I ordered: Waiting For Daisy

               o  the first Harry Potter book (I've never read them!)

 Go to a [free] concert: Josh Turner

   

     I counted yesterday that I have 8 weeks left of summer...it goes so fast! Hopefully I can do all this, and more!  

Already Reminiscing

Yes. I'm back to reminisce about my students whom I miss. Already. You would too if you knew how cute and smart and sweet and kind and creative they are!!

We made this video during the last of school together. It's a "brain break" or, I heard recently, a "Brain Booster", which really is a more accurate description. Each day we take a few minutes as we transition from Language Arts to Math to move--get energy out, wake up a bit, get our minds going--and then quickly settle back down into our work. It works like a charm! I had a very energetic group this year, and they truly benefited from our brain breaks. In fact, if we skipped it on accident, we all felt it! Plus, it promotes being active and healthy! Bonus!

They each had an opportunity to choreograph their own dance move. Then, we learned everyone's move and performed. It was the best day! 

Enjoy!

Out with the old, In with the new!

As you saw from my previous post, something new is coming my way! A new job! It was definitely not expected, as I actually turned down this same job a few months ago. But, timing is everything, and this time, when I received a phone call encouraging me to apply, the timing was right. I received that call on a Wednesday evening and thought and prayed about it all night. Thursday I applied for the job, Friday I interviewed, and on Monday I accepted a call from Human Resources. So, what will I be doing?!

Next year I will be a Reading Intervention teacher, which means I'll teach reading to those students who are struggling (think: lowest 20%) in grades K-5. I'll actually be working at two schools, which means traveling mid day each day to another school. That's the reason I initially wasn't interested in the job, but I think traveling between two schools, although stressful at times, will be nice. New perspectives, new ideas, new people...and I'll see the outside world each day! The sun?! What's that!?

Knowing that I left the classroom (maybe forever!) a few weeks ago made for a emotional roller coaster, much less leaving my most amazing teammate and friend Danielle, AND knowing I'm *kind of* leaving my school, since I'll only be there part-time. Whew, it is a miracle I made it through the end of the year. That also explains my blogging disappearance. Packing up 6 years of classroom teaching + report cards + emotional goodbyes + the regular end of year stress = a very overwhelmed and exhausted teacher.

So, I leave you with another thought I'm hanging onto as I begin this new journey.

I'm excited as a think about what the fall will bring. I'm not sure when it will set in that I'm not going back to the classroom, or my "regular" job, we'll see. In the meantime, I'm not stressing about the next school year, I'm just soaking up summer.

Change

Just when we thought there wouldn't be change in our lives, it manages to creep in. Surprising, sudden, and sweet, yet overwhelming, alarming and exciting. So, I focus on this truth:

It's hard for good things to end, and I'm not good at endings. It's been a long time since I've had a new beginning, so I'm not sure how I handle them. We'll see. More to come.

Surprise! Fred Bird is in the house!

This past week was the fabulous 1st Grade Show...entitled "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." The students were adorable, the music sounded lovely, but what stole the show...Fred Bird's surprise arrival! I was lucky enough to be an honorary Team Fred Bird Girl, which is a lot tougher than it looks. I mean, the high level of energy, the t shirt launcher, keeping up with Fred Bird! He is a PARTY! And, well, there certainly was a party at school that day!

Here is a brief video as my debut as Team Fred Bird:

And a few more highlights:

Go Cards!

Fashion Challenge Attempt #1

I'm trying to be more fashion forward! Here are a few of my recent attempts at stepping out:

Chambray Shirt

I bought this one here at Forever 21. I've been looking for the perfect chambray shirt in my price range for awhile, and I stumbled across this one. I wasn't sure about the pockets, but I love it now. Here's me trying it out with my yellow pants, and a favorite scarf from my very stylish sister-in-law.

I don't love myself in this picture, but it is the only one that showed the entire outfit. I haven't yet tried denim on denim...we'll see about that. For now, I like the denim shirt with bright pants for spring! Next up, trying it with a skirt.

Accent Nail Polish

I've seen this trend on celebrities, etc., but haven't had the courage to wear it myself. Maybe you've seen it, like this one: one finger a different color than the others, called an accent nail. I started with a silver and grey combination.

I liked the look, and I felt a little edgier already!

I look forward to trying out a few more styles and fashion tips in the future!

Bloglovin'

I don't know what I'm doing in this blogging world! But, I started a Bloglovin' list so I can more easily read the blogs I like to check out.

You can, of course, follow me too, if you have one. See my new link on the right, you can't miss it! If not, get started here.

Other than that, I really don't know anything about it. I'm about a year behind with pretty much all things in life--innovations, news, fashion, technology, etc. Oh well! Maybe one day I'll be able to keep up!