open your mind.

I am a schedule fanatic.  An organizational maven.  A maker of lists...grocery lists, to do lists, checklists, "we need this for the house" lists.  I don't even necessarily use them or even reference them once they're made.  Sometimes I throw them away before I even get up from my seat.  But making them is glorious nonetheless.

If you open my planner, look at one of my 10 calendars, or read one of the aforementioned lists, you will immediately have an idea of what I like to do, where I go, and what my job is.  If you look at my plan book for work, you will see meetings penciled in, lists of things to send home with my students, and ideas for future lesson plans.  If you look at my personal planner, I have anything from doctor's appointments to nights with the girls written down, accompanied by reminders to pick up the dry cleaning and buy cat food.

So if you haven't figured it out by now, I am incredibly organized...aka a huge control freak...

I do have a point in revealing my - ahem - flaw, some might say, to the world.

I am learning (trying really, really hard to learn anyway!) the importance of being flexible.  Being a teacher, I've always had to be flexible to some degree at work.  I strive to be open-minded and malleable, knowing my colleagues will appreciate it and my students will benefit from it.  In my personal life, this flexibility doesn't come as easily, though I'm trying diligently to apply it.  I shudder when my plans change or something impromptu comes up.  I take it personally when someone cancels on me or my husband can't make it home in time for dinner.  On a deeper level, I am about to be a mother in a few weeks and more than ever I am aware of the need to be flexible.  As I prepare to give birth, I realize that even though I have a certain plan in mind, things (especially childbirth!) don't always pan out the way you had them planned in your head.  In order to keep my tension and fear at bay,  I need to accept that things will come up and there is nothing I can do about it (in other words, no, I really cannot control everything) - in birth, in parenthood, at work, and in my personal life.  Does that mean that the outcome won't be a happy one?  Not necessarily.  I think it's more about not sweating the small stuff...another novel idea that I'll be working on for the next century ;-)


What do you do to relax, let things roll off your back, and be flexible?

a girl's gotta eat!

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a great week!  I went back to work on Tuesday.  After two days of grueling professional development, I am home now enjoying the empty apartment - listening to some music, wearing my most comfy sweats, and doing something that I haven't in far too long...cooking.

Now I am no Julia Child.  Hell, I'm not even a Rachel Ray.  But over the years I've experimented with cooking different things and while it's all still a work-in-progress (I am not a natural chef!), I've honed my skills and perfected some recipes (just ask my husband how often he eats tacos...).  Since getting pregnant, my energy level has been a bit low (ok, the lowest ever) and cooking has certainly been last on my list of things to do.  Between the summer heat and my constant exhaustion, my diet has consisted mostly of Luna Bars and fruit.  After leaving work today though I was struck by a sorely missed desire to cook so I'm taking advantage of the empty apartment and blaring some fun music while I cook up one of my favorites - chili.

Chili is one of the easiest things to make and delicious to eat.  While I traditionally only make it for football Sundays or during the winter, I really wanted something hearty and comforting tonight.  I make chili a lot but tend to tweak my recipe every single time I do.  Tonight I referenced this Giada recipe (she's one of my faves!) and put my own spin on it. 


Sometimes it's just really nice to relax and do something you love, whether it be crafting or reading, cooking or blogging, watching tv or doing laundry.  After a long day of listening to people talk at me, of absorbing a ton of information, of organizing my classroom, it feels really nice to relax and just be in the moment.  Hope you're having a wonderful night doing something you love :) 

the handwritten note

In our fast-paced, digital age, we most often email or text rather than write a letter or make a phone call.  I've heard jokes recently (which unfortunately I am all too guilty of) about people using their phones for everything except actually speaking to another person on the phone.  Interesting concept...

This past weekend has given me a wonderful excuse to put my love for writing (I mean physically writing - pen to paper, people) to good use.  My family threw me and my husband a beautiful baby shower and now I get the pleasure of writing thank you cards!  While many would find this a daunting task, I truly enjoy it.  In fact, we got home from the shower, unloaded the presents from our car, and went right to Target so that I could buy thank you cards and get right to work.  Writing is a passion of mine, as is making others happy, and I am notorious for sending notes, cards, and letters to my family and friends in the mail all the time.  You name a place, I've probably left a note there - on a colleague's desk, in my husband's lunch, on my sister's pillow, in a friend's luggage.  There is just something so much more personal and endearing about a note that was given the special attention, time, and care to be written as opposed to a quickly typed and fired off email.  Don't get me wrong - I send happy, lovey emails as well and I'm sure we all utilize email to communicate at our jobs or school.  But there's a time and a place for virtual communication and I'm just grateful to be able to send all of those that care about me and my new baby a special, hand-written note to tell them how thankful we are.  Try and write something this week, whether it be a letter to a loved one, a card to a friend, or a journal entry.  It is the little things that make us happy and writing is a little thing too often overlooked :)

I love you, Target

Back to School

For months now we've been seeing signs that fall is coming.  From Target putting out school supplies in July to Halloween candy spilling over the shelves at every grocery store, summer is rushed to an end before it is truly over.  And while I plan to savor these last few weeks of the season I have to admit that I'm a fall girl at heart.  Sweaters and boots; crisp leaves; kicking off the holiday season; and apple picking are all reasons why I have to claim fall as my absolute favorite season.  Of course I can't overlook my life's passion, teaching, and the fact that I'll be returning back to work soon - something that excites me beyond words.  I am fortunate to absolutely love my job.  With colleagues whom I not only get along with but rely on, trust, and adore, and a school functioning under amazing leadership, it would be impossible to not love where I am.  And even though returning to school means beach days and sleeping late are (temporarily) over, when I see the faces of my students and colleagues whom I've missed so much over these past months, it'll all be worth it.

Tomorrow my school will open up its freshly polished doors for teachers to start setting up their classrooms and preparing for the upcoming year.  As I think about what's to come, I am reminded of a quote that I try to keep in mind when working with students and children, though it really applies to anyone you've encountered in your life who may be struggling with something.

patience is a virtue

It can be so easy to get angry or impatient with people we care about.  I don't know about you, but I'm more likely to voice my frustrations or anger at my husband or my sister or my mother before snapping at the person in line ahead of me at the supermarket who has more than 12 items in the express lane (really though, come on...). They say that those we are closest with generally love us no matter what, unconditionally.  Perhaps that's the rationale for sometimes treating them harshly or speaking before thinking?  In the classroom, this can be the case as well.  Sometimes the students we hope to impact in the biggest ways are the ones that provide the most challenges and try our patience day after day.  Does this mean they are "bad kids" (a phrase I've banned from my own personal vocabulary) or simply that they need more of our attention, love, and specialized care?  If a child walked up to you and said "I feel so angry all of the time because of the things I've been through...I really need your love and extra attention" you would surely hug that child and do whatever you could to improve their conditions.  So why when a child acts out - showing with words and actions that they need our love rather than saying it in a straightforward way - are we often inclined to scold, yell, belittle, embarrass, or otherwise cast away this needy child?  As a teacher, I try to remind myself as often as possible - and still it isn't always enough - that every child needs love and care in their own unique way and part of my job as an educator is to provide that.  Not only do I need to cover the math and science basics, I need to exhibit strength and empathy, compassion and care, flexibility and tact, in an effort to improve the lives of my students and model for them the morals and values of being a kind person.

Patience isn't always my strong suit.  While I'm better in the classroom than I am at home (my husband can attest to this!), I am not the person who doesn't mind waiting in line (I mind...a lot).  I am not the person who can sit calmly while my meal at a restaurant hasn't come after 40 minutes.  I am not the person who can deal with the internet being unbelievably slow (not a huge fan of Comcast right now, let me tell you).  But in my line of work patience is a must.  In life, for all of us, patience has its place.  And while it may not be the easiest virtue to practice at all times, it can make a difference in someone's day.  It can make a difference to one of my students - to boost their confidence, to give them that extra minute to solve the problem, to show them that their thoughts are important too.  And with Autumn's arrival quickly approaching, I have an even better reason to practice what I preach...!  As I head into this new school year, there are so many things on my mind but a good place to start is to remember that the ones who often seem the hardest to love are truly those that need it the most.

quick post!

I've been a bit stressed this week with the move, the baby, and all the other fun things life has thrown my way.  A friend of mine sent me this picture to remind me to stay calm, be positive, and enjoy the positive things going on in my life.  I found the picture itself beautiful and the quote inspiring and thought I'd share :)

just breathe.

Monday Musings

Hello!

I hope everyone had a relaxing weekend.  I am still in the throes of packing (we're moving on Friday - there is an end in sight!).  We spent this past weekend at the new place so my gears are certainly turning as I envision decorating our new digs.  Some of the design ideas I'm into right now...

laundry room humor

I have some beautiful Versace plates that my parents gave to my husband

and I as an engagement gift and I would love to display them

Our new apartment has a bar area similar to this one

that I want to paint in chalkboard paint! It'll be fun to use with friends

and with the baby once she gets older

Loving this image by Ork posters

 

bundle of...?

My hubby and I are expecting a baby girl in the fall!  So along with packing up our apartment in preparation to move, we're trying to get ready (can you really prepare for parenthood though?! ) for our bundle of joy.  Tonight we have our second childbirth class, for which we had to do some homework.  I'm sure you can guess what that entailed...

So after watching a woman cry and scream through her 19-hour labor, I proceeded to cry and scream in my bed at the thought of having to birth this baby in 9 weeks.  A whooooole slew of emotions came flooding over me, including (but not limited to): do I really have to go through with this? Ok seriously...how do I get out of this?  What the hell was I thinking?!  Luckily, my uber-supportive husband reminded me of all the wonderful reasons we are in this situation and I think the quote below sums it up perfectly...

pregnantchicken.com

Even though labor and delivery may be a difficult part of the process (ok, ok...the most challenging thing I'll ever do in my entire life), I cannot wait to meet and love my baby girl :)


T - 3 hours until childbirth class...let's hope I don't cry tonight.  Seriously.