Living in the northeast is great because we get four seasons and I wouldn’t change that. However, winter is not my favorite season and somehow it feels like the longest. I do my best to push through every year, but it seems like every winter….the older I get…I reach this point where I need something to push my soul through to spring.
This winter I decided I needed a little green in my life. My mini and I bundled ourselves up and headed out to get some new plants. Nothing fancy, I am not Mrs. Green Thumb.
We looked around and decided to try succulents. I have never tried to grow or care for, but they seem to be the Instagram rage, so why not. We only grabbed two. At this point we figured it would be kinder to just experiment with one each.
We selected an aloe plant too. I have never grown one, but my gut was telling me to get this spiky, green beauty. Fingers crossed it does well and I eventually need to give it a bigger home.
We next selected pots for our mini collection. I love color and always gravitate towards it, but the universe and garden center had a better plan for me….white. I already had a white pot at home that was once the keeper of a mini rose bush and was not long for our home….sadly. So, keeping with this fresh and neutral palette was very easy. We selected containers for our succulent friends and headed home to pot them up.
Planting them up was very easy and quick.
Fresh bag of soil
New pots
Small pebbles
Water
We filled the bottoms with a small amount of pebbles for drainage. Popped in the plants and added some water. Super simple and super fun.
Ta da!!!! Here is our little green collection. It felt good to get a little dirt under our fingers after feeling suffocated by mittens and gloves. Now we needed to put them somewhere. This probably took the longest.
We decided to place them on the hearth. I sit in this room every morning and have my coffee. What better way to start the day then to gaze upon some greenery.
My hope is this little bit of Mother Nature will trick my brain into believing spring is really around the corner, giving Old Man Winter an eviction notice.
This was a lovely way to spend a cold February day off from school.
What gets you through the winter blues???
You can always drop me a line, like this post or follow my page.
I find choosing these options are easier if you are on a computer, but if you are reading from your phone scroll down to the bottom.
The new year will be here in days. Well the new calendar year. I personally count the years of my life is school year calendars, so this year still has a ways to go. With this being said, I still reflect and try to look forward to the new year.
Looking forward is an easy process for me. Everything is unknown. I sort of like not knowing what will be.
This year has brought many happy changes. My hope is 2020 will be peaceful, positive, productive and phenomenal!
Blogging
Goals for 2020
Continue writing
Improve my skills
Hone my voice
TpT
Goals for 2020
Create more resources
Improve a few
Expand
Yoga
Goals for 2020
Keep going to class
Practice more often
New Friends
Goals for 2020
Continue to connect with these ladies
Support
Fly their flags
Book Club
Goals for 2020
Keep reading
Listening
Making meetings a priority
Family
Last but not least. 2019 has brought us even closer together. May we continue to be a happy little family.
I’ll always pick these two!!!
Wherever we go, as long as we are together, life will always be an adventure!
Happy New Year to you!!!! May all your goals be fulfilled. Whoot…whoot….2020!!!
Teachers on break or anyone else on a holiday break….do all the things that reboot your soul.
I am taking some much needed family time to recharge and reconnect. This fall has been hectic…filled with extra bumps and potholes in my itinerant road.
I am wishing you a joyous and peaceful holiday. May you take time to breathe in all of life’s blessings.
I love the summer months, but the heat and running around aren’t always that enjoyable. I prefer not to be a sweaty gingerbread girl!
A Drive With A View
I love it when the trees start to turn. That is a total bonus driving around all day. A beautiful view can make a long day fly by.
Students Schedules
Once the leaves start to turn and the pumpkins are out I feel like the kids start to settle into their schedules.
Daily Caseload
It takes me about a full month to feel like I know where I am going, who I am seeing.
Long Weekends
I love how there are two long weekends in the fall. We try to take advantage of the scenery and plan family time. Also, people seem to look forward to mini brakes.
Happy Teachers+Happy Students=Happy Me
Pumpkin Spice is Back
Either you love it or hate it. I love it!
The Christmas Crazies
After Thanksgiving I feel like the kids start to progressively amp up for Christmas, so I love the few months focus.
Try Something New
This is the time of year I try a new method of data collection, lesson plan format, try out new manipulatives and give myself grace for a learning curve.
Cozy Layers
The weather in the Fall is perfect for cute light weight jackets, scarves and booties.
Fall Fun
People often get out during the weekend for apple picking, pumpkin picking, football games, hayrides, festivals, Halloween parties, trick or treating and Thanksgiving. These are just some of the ways to enjoy the weekends of Fall…. before the hustle and bustle of the holiday season takes over.
This type of fun is often centered around family and friends! Care free fun makes for a better Monday morning.
It seems like positive phrases and quotes are everywhere. Teachers are really making an effort to put positivism, self reflection and encouragement up and around their rooms. I think this trend is here to stay.
This was in a middle school hallway
Everywhere I go in see things that are inspiring…uplifting or just make me think. People say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I think a few words printed on a wooden sign or bulletin board might be just as or more impactful.
Schools aren’t the only places trying to get the “word” out. Positivity is popping in just about every store. Try to shop without seeing some message ment to inspire.
This hung in my mini’s locker.
I really love this trend.
This greets visitors when they enter my house.
I feel like theses mini messages are creating a new mindset for all the little people walking around. My hope is that the more they see and read…the more the messages marinate in their being.
We have been living by these words for years!
My house has many peppy, thoughtful messages for an improved mental health. Momma needs a boost somedays. I need a reminder when my day or mood seems like it is in the toilet.
My personal mission is to be more observant of the messages around me. Be more mindful of how those messages resonate with me.
These I found online. I thought these would be perfect for the middle school students I teach.
I made these mini notes to let me students know how awesome they are. They are the perfect size for the square sticky pockets. They are post it note size, so east to staple or tape in agendas, desks, lockers and folders.
Starting back to school can be an incredibly stressful and busy time. Getting children or students back into the groove can be exhausting for parents and teachers. Being both I find that September is a potluck of emotions. I love getting back to teaching, my students and a routine. I also dread the schedule, the planning and the balancing act between school and home. September seems to go by slowly and quickly….when I am in it it seems like I am treading in molasses, but once it is October I feel like it was over in a blink. This is why I think selfcare is so important for the first couple of months.
This years start up I told myself I was going to make time for myself. Little things can make a huge difference and seem less daunting. I tried to think of the top five things that make my day stressful and then tried to brainstorm ideas to alleviate that stress.
Waking Up Earlier
I am not an early bird, not when I was a kid or even as a new mom. I am a night owl. This isn’t always the best sleep habit for a school schedule, so this summer I tried to have a bed time. Going to bed at 2 am is a hard habit to break come Labor Day. This summer I stuck to this self induced rule with consistancy. Much to my surprise it wasn’t that difficult and made for a better transition into going back to work.
I also realized I have to stop the morning routine I have had for years.
Shower
Get half ready
Get child up and ready
Breakfast
Finish getting ready
Sucking down a luke warm cup of coffee at lightning speed
Grab everything by the door
Leave maybe on time
It was just a mad dash every morning. Probably some panic, yelling and forgetting. This is not a great way to start the day, so I decided I need to get up earlier and develop a new order of operations.
1x snooze
Coffee, Instagram and Texts in a cozy chair
Wake up child
Get child ready
Breakfast
Get myself ready
Leave on time
So far this is working. We are getting out the door on time and less racing from task to task. My mini is also taking time after breakfast to chill for a bit while I am getting ready.
Yoga
If you read my blog or follow me on Instagram you know I love yoga and I try to keep at it. I have only been practicing since March, so I am no expert, but I have discovered it is my jam and I need it to function.
Getting back to work and balancing home takes alot out of me in the beginning and working out would normally go to the bottom of the to do list, but this September I told myself I need to keep at it. I have been trying to head to a class at least once a week and try to fit in home yoga two times a week.
So far it is happening. This might be the most consistent I have ever been-with fitness. I recently tried a new class and it was awesome, however it did take effort to get there. It was a Saturday…could have easily skipped it. It was a farther drive…another reason to put it off, but I didn’t and I am happy I did. Feeding the body and soul keeps me a sane momma.
If yoga isn’t your jam….find and do what works for you.
Swim
Bike
Hike
Power Walk
Fitness Class
Weights
Cardio
Spin
Pilates
Down Time
Being an itinerant teacher I am in the car multiple times a day. I told myself I was going to use this time as a time to recharge. These are a few ways I am staying happy during my between, school drives.
Audible Books
Music
Positive phone calls
Silence
Being mentally consumed by your caseload and co-workers all day can be draining. I know all to well how easy it is to get wrapped up in the negativity or not let something go, but this transition times allows me to be fresh for the next student at the next school.
Hydrate
Drinking enough water is something I think many people struggle with or make a priority. Being itinerant I struggle with getting enough water in for two reasons:
Forgetting my water in the car or a school.
Making time to make a potty stop.
Both I am trying to remedy this year.
Bought a new cup only for water that I can leave in the car and rinse at school.
Not just pushing through the day. Mentally acknowledging I am a priority.
Stopping at each school if needed.
Finding all the fountains with the filter systems.
Treat Yourself
I love me some pumpkin spice coffee….however this can turn into a daily sugar issue, so I am only treating myself once a week. I have a low stress caseload, so a daily treat isn’t needed. My waist line thanks all my beautiful students! However I have had years where I need a daily treat. It doesn’t have to be calorie conscious or cost anything. Sometimes it was making time for trash tv at night or a weekly manicure.
Anything that makes you happy and motivates….do it! Fill your bucket, make time for yourself. If you are empty and cranky you aren’t rocking it out everyday. Selfcare is not selfish.
I recently was on a lovely family vacation. We traveled to the Adirondacks for some mountain air and togetherness. All of these things happened and more. It was just what we needed. One of the days started out beautifully. We hiked and hiked and hiked. My husband had seen online there was a covered bridge near by that he wanted to check out, so we drove a short distance to find this restored wooden bridge.
Everything was picture perfect. We decided to climb down to the water. It was a day full of nature and adventure. We took some fun pictures and were just about ready to head back to town, when I decided I was going to push myself out of my comfort zone and be brave.
Back story- I am not the biggest animal or bug lover. I appreciate, I respect, I even think are cute, but from a distance. I have tried over the years to get over these fears- even therapy. Some situations have improved with age and effort, but then I have moments when irrational fear puts me into a full panic attack.
So, with being in all of this glorious nature, I felt like I could do something that would test my fears and hopefully help me get over them or at least one. I decide to take off my shoes and socks and stand in running, fresh water. This was shocking to my husband, but I was feeling good. Feeling like I can do this. He took a few pictures. I look happy. He warned me it could slippery, which I was fully aware of and accepting.
What’s the worst thing that could happen?
I would get wet…oh well. Wet pants is no big deal. As I am about to step to dry land…I slip.
I fall into the water.
I am laughing.
Before the fall
I get up and look down at my self. Everything seems ok. I wipe my back side and then see my hands covered in this small, rice sized black stuff. At first I think it must be river dirt, or plant debris.
It moves.
I panic….of course. I rinse my hands in the water…struggling to get it off. Then all I can think of is what is all over my ass.
I start to hyperventilate. Not for dramatic effect-pure horror.
I run and climb back up into the parking lot, to the car, opening the back and procede to rip off my creepy, crawly, yoga pants.
Yep! Pantsless in a parking lot. Thank goodness I had cute, black underwear on. I also had this foresight to take a beach towel that morning and pop it into the car. I was thinking this might be needed for our daughter-never imaging I would be driving back to our hotel wrapped in a Hello Kitty beach towel.
On the drive back I calmed down, caught my breath and started to do what I always do when I recover from a freak out.
I apologize. I want everyone I upset to be fine. I don’t want my irrational fear ruining the day. I am proud of myself for not crying.
We get back to our hotel quickly and I parade through the lobby in my pink, kitty, towel sarong. No worries. A quick shower to wash away the panic attack and let’s go on with our family fun. Thankfully I have a wonderful husband who can stand at the sink and rinse the crawlies off your favorite pants and not make one comment to make you feel incredibly stupid. Not even “I told you it was slippery”.
The day was not done. Our plan was to get in some mini golf and that is just what we did. It was perfect. While we were there we ended up talking to a man working the counter. He was a ray of sunshine and positivity. We had the polite, small chit chat you do when on vacation, but then an extra layer was added. He shared a bit about himself and how he landed in the Adirondacks. My take away was his soul needed whatever the mountains could give him. He was choosing happy. This got me thinking about my earlier experience.
What was the universe trying to teach me?
Why do I have to get over these fears?
Do you have to be brave and push yourself?
Who are you doing it for? You? Or others?
On our drive to Whiteface Mountain, the next day, I was still thinking about these questions. Why? Why couldn’t I have just gotten wet? What is the take away ?
We parked and I was ready to enjoy the day. I climbed that mountain. Fearless. Not a worry. I loved it. I can do it without a second of hesitation. When I got to the top I looked out on everything- green and magnificent and was happy. There are people that can not and will not climb ragged rocks and stand on top of a mountain, but I CAN.
I have decided that it is okay to be scared. Fear can stop you from doing stupid things. I know it can hold you back too. So many quotes out there, but I think sometimes it is ok. I am not going to shut myself up in a bubble and never try to stretch myself outside my comfort zone, but I am not going to force myself to do things that are too much or ignore my inner voice.
I am not going to apologize for my perceived short comings.
I do many things everyday that scare other people.
I drive over bridges
I can see a spider in my house
I can tend to an injury
I can climb a mountain
I can do a lot of things!
I think my universal take away is it is OK to have fears. It is okay to say no. It is okay to find your happy and embrace what you can-for right now.
My fear of many living things will have a downside, but I am okay with that. I am probably never going to a petting zoo, snorkeling or letting a hawk land on my hand. I am good with all of that. As long as my people enjoy life and they do what makes them happy I am good sitting out. I keep trying and every time something puts me into a panic. And I think the biggest thing I realized is I am not trying for me, I am pushing myself to make others happy. I have zero desire (not stemming from fear) to swim with the fishes!
I am accepting these limitations. I have hope I might not always have them and I will still think about trying because I believe in personal growth, but only if I want to. If not-no apologizes needed. I accept that this is me.
Accept yourself….all of the things
Find yourself….enjoy the journey
Listen to yourself….your inner voice is probably right
Every summer I typically have a project to do list or goals. The school year gets too hectic and I put many things off in my head for summer vacation. This summer was no different except for the things to catch up with were my peeps.
I decided that projects can wait, but friendships can not.
This connecting looks very different for each friend, but I have made a solid effort to make time. Make new memories. Make myself a priority.
Texting
We all do it. It works. It is fast.
No matter how far a friend is-a text is a text. I love that out of state peeps seem like they are in my backyard. Getting pictures via text always makes me happy and allows me to feel part of someone’s world. Seeing shoes she is shopping for, vacation pictures or what’s for dinner gives me the feeling of having a backstage pass. Sometimes this is all we have to stay connected to those far away. For as much as I would like to toss my phone, some days, I am grateful for the speed and efficiency it provides. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.
Bitmoji
Who ever invented these is brilliant. I love getting and giving. They are typically funny and to the point. No need for words here. I love when I receive one and a friend has tweaked the outfit or hair. I change mine with the seasons. Do you change yours up?
Phone Calls
This was my teenage jam. The phone! As a busy working mom not so much, but I have a few friends that this is the way we stay connected. It is usually in the car. Busy working moms multitask. If the backseat is full the conversation is PG, but if it is empty let the colorful adjectives fly free. Filter free baby!
Somedays the conversation still needs to happen in the driveway or an extra lap around the block…because if you get out of the car you might as well just hang up. And sometimes these driveway chats are long and necessary.
Email
Back in the day I loved seeing what messages were in my daily inbox. Long ones. Short ones. This was really all I had before texting. I love it when I get one now that isn’t something I should buy or a bill pay reminder.
A new friend crafted the most thoughtful and supportive email this summer. She was just being her lovely self, but that email made my week. When your in a funk sometimes the smallest kindness can pull you out. Set you back on your path. Email is often deeper than a text. I think the layout and size allow for more, so you often get more words and thoughts than from a text.
Something to consider if you have alot to say or share.
Meet Ups
These are obviously my favorite. Nothing beats seeing a beloved friend. They don’t need to be complicated or fancy. Just spending time is enough.
Some of my favorite ways to hang:
Tea/Coffee
Manicure/Pedicure
A walk
Someone’s house
Shopping
Lunch
Brunch
Crafting/Creating
Yoga
Sometimes they are a group or one on one. However they happen I know I need this time. Hanging with my gal pals does something for the soul.
I love family time, but there is something special that happens when you just get to be yourself for a bit, not mom the multitasker or super wife.
However you keep up with your tribe, keep doing it.
This is necessary to be the best you.
If you lost a member along the way, reconnect if it is worth it.
Sometimes it happens and sometimes it was ment to happen. We all evolve.
Be brave and make a new friend.
This can be scary at any age, but if you see someone you think might be an awesome addition to your tribe….say Hi!
If you feel like dropping me a line or an email-awesome!
So I recently posted about living gluten free. Maybe you read it…maybe not. Check it out if you have time! I just wanted to add a quick extension story.
These cookies!!!! I have had them for a bit. Tried them…and somehow did not appreciate them fully. So good. The box is now empty. Completely not helping the fitness cause, but sometimes it is necessary. Maybe it is my current mood or maybe they are a great GF Girl Scout substitute.
School has 1 more day. I am ready for summer. I have wished my students well and I clearly am in need of some sugar! I bought these at a local grocery store. They were not crazy expensive. Total win! Finding something I think tastes good and I can justify the cost is a struggle at times.
As you can see I am still looking for the “ups” to this new foodie adventure. Happy snacking! Happy night owl snacking! Being a night owl is a totally different conversation. I love how an idea forms.
If this little snippet was mildly entertaining drop me a line. If you have and delicious suggestions I am always open to new GF things I can try-leave a comment.
I love that phrase. Happiness is priceless, but how you achieve that happiness can have a cost. I wanted to share new beauty products that are making me “look prettier”, but most importantly making me feel prettier. I thought about adding to my Buffet page, but I am kinda jazzed about these so why not share a little more.
I love beauty products. Trying new products is totally fun and selfishly rewarding, especially if I find something that is not crazy money. I have tried many, many different brands at different price points over the years. I sometimes go on a quest for a specific category. Maybe you do to!? For example this past winter my lips were chapped. CHAPPED. I honestly have never experienced anything like it. Maybe it is age, harsh winter, or going gluten free??? Whatever the reason my lips felt like they were going to fall off. I had like a hole forming in my bottom lip. I tried many lip products to heal this. Now, I could name things I tried but I won’t. I feel like my lip was the issue…sadly and my job. Being in and out in freezing temps was doing me no favors.
Lips
I bought the duo. The spray is awesome too!!!!
One night I was out running an errand and decided to pop into Ulta. I didn’t really want to spend more than 10$ but sometimes a girl gets desperate. I wandered and pondered what was going to take care of my lip issue. I found 2 lip products that worked great. I sort of used them in tandem. They both worked like a dream. Still using…on my restored and normal looking lips. I keep the Mario Badescu balm in my yoga bag. They both smell and taste good. The textures are pleasant and I like this type of application.
This works awesome and I like other products they have as well.
Face
I have very sensitive skin, so I am very cautions about products for my face. I really don’t want to look rashy or break out and this has happened too many times in the past, so sometimes I am much less brave to try new things for my face. However, I was looking into getting a new mask. I know that there are so many different kinds out there and I find this to be overwhelming-so I just looked when I was pushing the cart in the grocery store. Neutrogena is typically a brand I can use. I saw this new mask….or at least new to me and thought why not! I think it works good and it did not irritate my face which is key. The smell was pleasant, didn’t burn, washed of easy and I didn’t feel super tight afterwards.
Body
Beekman 1802 has become a new obsession. I saw this online and thought it would be super cute to get my husband. He complains his legs get really dry…sorry if that is TMI, but it is totally true. He has tried multiple lotions-which he has found something he likes, but I thought maybe lets back up a step and adjust his soap. Maybe a more mild soap will help. I bought an assortment of soaps and the whipped body cream. He thought I was bananas for spending what I spent on soap, but I thought he would 1. like that I am concerned about his comfort 2. love that it is from goats milk. He has this love of goats! He watches cute goat videos on Instagram. Loves to drive by a farm with goats. I personally don’t get it, but hey what ever makes a person happy.
So, you might be thinking at this point…ok, I thought these were products you use??….well they are. I totally love the soap. I use it to shave my legs. I love how I don’t feel tight or dry at all. I would totally recommend this product if you are wanting to treat yourself. I would also 100% encourage you to try the whipped body cream. It is amazing. Yes, amazing. I never feel greasy or gross. I am not a huge fan of lotion or body creams. I would rather feel dry than dirty. I find that many formulas leave me feeling heavy or dirty. So, when I tried this I was hooked. It is so good. This formula sinks right in. I got the unscented version, so I can layer any perfume right over!
Full disclosure I bought all of these from QVC. I love online and I love that they carry awesome products that bundled together. I love a deal!!! So we got bars of soap and the cream together. If you check out the Beekman 1802 site there is there full assortment of products, but if you are looking to save a bit check out QVC. I love how they carry so many beauty brands. I could do a whole post on all of the awesome brands they have now.
Magic in a Bottle
My complexion is fairly light. I try my best to use sunscreen daily and protect myself from the damaging UV rays, so this being said, I do not try to go outside and fetch a tan. I love the look, but I really don’t want to age my skin or run the risk of having anything surgically removed, so over the years I have tried many faux tanners or sunless tanning products. I struggle. I struggle with the color typically. I obviously do not want to look orange. Some people may not think that an underlying orange hue is a terrible thing, but I personally can not pull that off. I try to find a product that doesn’t smell really bad either. I think this is probably true for everyone. I have tried different application processes: spray, mousse, lotion, cream and foam. Each one has pros and cons, but obviously I was still hunting for a product that checked all my boxes. So I heard about these Isle of Paradise drops, thingy, self tanner?!? It seemed intriguing. The concept is simple, you add 1-12 drops to your favorite lotion, mix it in your palm and apply like you would normally apply your lotion (no orange hands). I thought this might be too good to be true….it is NOT. It does what it says. It gave me my desired look. I added 4 drops to my portion of cream and applied. I decided to keep it conservative on the tan factor. My goal was to look like I got a bit of color, not go from pasty white to bronzed goddess. It is too soon to look like that…still in school. It totally worked, didn’t smell gross and zero orange. Oh-and you can use it in your face moisturizer! This product is a total winner. Once I get a deeper look I will post a pic to my buffet page.
Hair
Dry shampoo is not completely new to my beauty arsenal, but this year I decided to branch out and try a new brand. I have tried all the ones beauty experts say are the best…most of them are good products and I get good results, but I obviously was still hunting for something better. I think I bought this one, I am now loving, at Target. I am sure it can be purchased many places, but I have a love affair with my red cart-so I am sure I bought it there first. This one is my fave- PLUMP FOR JOY. I like the smell and texture. The name really is what attracted me to it….too funny!!! Not Your Mother’s makes a few other formulations. The only other one I have tried is- Clean Freak. This one comes in a travel size and I like to keep a mini can in my car. I have really tried to embrace the idea of not washing my hair daily. I think my hair and my hair dresser thank me for finally giving into this concept. So everyone is “plumping for joy”.
As you can see I try to shop around and try new things. I am sure there will be new products purchased in the future for other beauty areas, but right now these are winning the health and beauty race. If you liked any of this give me a shout out!!! I would love to hear from you. Maybe tell me what you are using to keep yourself feeling your best!!!
What are long weekends made for??? In my life-family time. That can mean a lot of things. Typically I love a getaway, but we stayed home this Memorial Day Weekend. This holiday weekend was so great because it was a four day weekend. Yes, that’s right four glorious days off that were lightly planned.
FRIDAY
My hubs had to work, but my mini me and I had off. She slept in and I started my day in quiet with coffee. So good. I knew we had to make these treats for the charity walk on Sunday, so while it was still early and calm I prepped what we needed.
This was fairly simple, but very robotic. Once all of this was done and she had breakfast it was time to assemble. These are super simple to make. I feel like they are a great combination of sweet and salty….gluten free too.
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 275°
Bake for 2-3 minutes
Once out of the oven gently press a candy into the melted kiss
Let cool
ENJOY
This was a great baking project to do with my mini. Sort of relaxing and she could do everything except use the oven. We have built-ins and they are too high to risk injury.
Once they were cooled we were ready to package them up. She decided we should put 2 of each kind into these really cute and easy clear, baking bags I found on Amazon. This whole project was calm, easy and a perfect way for her to help give back.
The rest of our Friday was super fun. We went to see Aladdin with friends. We thoroughly enjoyed this film. It was funny, kept to the animated story, but had a few new elements and was a perfect way to kick off our family time. Of course we got popcorn…the big bucket and I packed the rest of the peanut mm’s in my bag. One of my favorite things to get at the movies is a Coke ICEE. Totally unhealthy, but I love it. I used to calorie splurge on hot pretzels and cheese, but since going gluten free, I have decided to sugar myself up with a cup of slushie magic. If and when the machine is out, or not working-total let down, but the long weekend gods were on my side and I happily sucked up those empty calories.
SATURDAY
This day started like many Saturdays of recent. I got up by myself and sat in peace and quiet with my coffee and phone. I checked out the online world while I rocked and sipped. Then it was time for me to head off to yoga. This new routine has become a great way to start a typical weekend. I have really come to enjoy what yoga has opened me up to. My class was great-totally challenged me, but my instructor informed us at the end that she was no longer going to be teaching this class. She is moving on to her MORE in life. I was totally devastated. I am thrilled for her of course, but I finally feel like I have found my jam. There is something about the way she teaches, pushes me and her energy…. that’s what got me out of the house when I’ve had a long and tiring day or it is a wet, gloomy morning ….when staying in seems like a much better idea, but I get ready and go. No workout has ever done that. I am not easily motivated to work out. I have tried many things….our gadget filled basement is proof of my quest for the right exercise for me. So, I am not sure what is going to happen with my Thursday and Saturday hour and fifteen minutes of me time. I am sure her position with be filled, but never replaced.
Enough with the pity party…..so the rest of my day was spent with nature and my peeps. We found a park online. I swear Facebook is listening or invisible aliens report to Facebook what you are going to be looking for, because I mentioned the hubs we needed to get out and do something with nature. We all needed some vitamin D. Winter was long and painful. It is time to embrace the good weather, for as long as we can. So, I hopped on my phone to send a text and then wandered over to FB. What pops up….yes an article link for a park about an hour away from us. I click, look at the pics and he googled the directions. This is when I love technology and spontaneity.
Thirty minutes later we were in the car, off on a new family adventure. The park was really nice and just at my level. I am no woman of the woods. My spastic, unrealistic fears of things that live in the woods or that scurry in the night restrict me from full on hiking, but this park provided us with enough visual food for the soul, as well as manicured and maintained paths for the spastic.
We hiked the trails and watched our daughter shoe away the “bugs”. It is sort of laughable at times and then sometimes annoying, but I have no room to judge, considering there are multiple things that, live and breathe, I am afraid of.
We needed this time together. It was so nice to walk, talk and take in mother nature. Winter really does seem too long-caging us inside. We are not snow bunnies, so the arrival of early summer is a blessing.
Loves of my life
I get teased by my hubby, but I love to take pictures. He jokes we only vacation so I can Shutterfly. So not true, but I do love making photo books too. I took pictures this day, but I tried to look more with my eyes and be present; not running my to do list in my head, not thinking of what comes next.
On our drive home I spotted another waterfall. How awesome is that?!! Two waterfalls in one day. No one got out except me. I needed a picture of course. It was small, but cool. At the top I could see a home was next to it. I thought it very relaxing. Could you imagine living next to that beautiful white noise?!
We wrapped our day in our neighborhood at a local diner we frequent. This is often a typical Saturday night. My hubs likes to eat this chicken dinner they serve. We lovingly call it his Saturday Night Special. It is nothing mind blowing, but sometimes the simplest of things are the yummiest. I have to say because he orders it so often it makes me question my chicken cooking skills. Hmmm????
After a day of hiking and sunshine we were kind of wiped out. So we had an early night of watching Harry Potter on TV. Everyone was off to bed to get their beauty sleep for Sunday. So, all in all great day!
SUNDAY
The Vullo Boys and their Mama…The Heart and Soul behind the walk!!!!
This was our day we were going to help our closest friends kick off a new passion project. They put together a walk to raise money for a cancer research hospital in our area. She said this idea came to her on the treadmill. Well it was a winner. They raised a surprising amount of money, for a first time event, and created a fun day for families to get out & support their community. It was so awesome to see so many young families taking time out of their holiday weekend and showing their kids a way to open their hearts and support others in need.
Some people just get you in life….love this lady!
The walk was very manageable-two miles on a path in their neighborhood. This walk is by no means a challenge, but a lot of the kiddos that were feeling it. We let our daughter scooter. She was happy and we heard zero complaining. Some parents we carrying their kids. My back is too old for that! The weather was beautiful. It was the perfect temperature, clear skies and a breeze. My friend watched the weather all week. She was so nervous it would ran. Not a drop!
Aww yeahhhh
The walk finished at their home with a bake sale and basket auction. This was a very successful sale. There were so many gluten filled treats I longed for. My friend and her mom baked all day Friday, her in-laws must have baked for days and there were the few contributions we made. This cause really effects so many and brings out the best in people. For whatever reason people came out…it was awesome they did and they brought their wallets. That might not be the thing to say, but it is true. Our friends raised $7000!!!!
There was a bounce house set up for the kids. I don’t think I need to explain how this is a gift that keeps on giving. Parents are happy, kids are happy. I think it was funny how so many were tired walking, but could bounce for days.
He looks so happy…winning
My friends also set out corn hole. I am not usually into playing, but the hubs and I played for a bit, after I was done selling basket auction tickets. It was fun. If you have read a previous post -I posted about a month ago- you might know he does not like to loose, especially to me. I was the mini golf champion but he beat me by two throws this day. I am sooooo okay with it. I am not competitive by nature…some people pout over it (hahahha), which requires the occasional winner (me) to rub it in…just a bit! I could have asked for a rematch, but it was time to clean up.
Once everyone had left and the tents went down we had a very relaxing dinner. It was nice to just sit and chat. Our friends parents put it together and it was delicious. I love seeing the care and effort people put into a simple meal. I think the act of making sure people are well fed is an amazing quality. I didn’t take a picture….kicking myself, but I was living in the moment. Kept my phone in my belt bag. Yep a belt bag…the chic way of saying fanny pack! I will explore this new found love in a future post.
When they day was done we drove home full….full bellies and hearts full of friendship. Giving back and supporting friends fills my bucket.
I can’t really explain it, but it does a soul good.Â
Monday
So I typically blog and post on Sunday. Long weekends don’t really work with the schedule, so Monday it is. I made my coffee and got to work early, because I wanted to be able to enjoy the day with my family. We planned on going to the Memorial day parade. Before the parade I wanted to get a few things made for dinner. I put together a gluten free tuna mac salad and something we call green fluffy. Both are super simple and require me tossing things together.
Green Fluffy
Then it was time to shower and head out to the parade. We have made it an annual tradition to go to the local Memorial Day Parade. For the past couple of years we meet up with school friends. It is nice. This year we were a tiny bit late. My hubbie read online that it started at 12….I thought maybe 11, but I wasn’t in the mood to question it. So, we intended to be early and sit in our favorite spot, but we ended up being 20 minutes late and missing some of the parade. No matter our friends were set up on time and we squeezed in the shade. We watched the last half. The bag pipes are my favorite. It was nice to catch up with friends we haven’t seen in a bit. Thank goodness for texting, but it is always better to chat face to face.
After the parade it was a quick stop for lunch and then home. Time to get in back to school/work mode. All of the Sunday things were happening: dinner prep, laundry, blogging, TV watching, picking up all the little things, planning and sending out texts to keep up with all the people in my tribe I needed to catch up with.
I hope you had a fun filled long weekend! Feel free to comment, drop a question or follow me.
In my post “This is How I Sunday” I mentioned my amazing bestie who is putting together a charity walk. She wanted to teach her boys about giving back. I love this. She is doing a great job raising money for her walk and bake sale. I am impressed with her planning and efforts. All of the proceeds are going to a local hospital that specializes in cancer treatment.
So many of us know someone in our past or present who have been touched by this disease. I have family that have passed from cancer and I keep a close watch on my lady bits & my general health.
Cancer comes in many shapes, sizes and colored ribbons (which I think is great how people represent specifically). I can understand why my friend was motivated to support this hospital. It does amazing work and we are very lucky to live in a community that plays such an important role in peoples lives.
When I was a very small child I spent alot of time in the waiting areas of the hospital this walk is supporting. My grandmother had a brain tumor. She went in and out of treatment and procedures there. I thankfully have beautiful memories of her that are not tarnished by my last memories of her. My parents tried their best to protect my brother and I from the harsh reality. Cancer can alter everything.
I’m not a dweller. It doesn’t serve me to stay stuck in a negative space. As I type that I have to be honest- I do have monents where feel sorry for myself. I have lived most of my life without one of my favorite people, but I have lived and that is the importance take away. Keep growing and moving forward.
When I was younger, elementary school, I always signed up to walk in the annual cancer walk. I think those miles are some of my favorite memories from elementary school. My friends and I had so much fun walking and talking. I think, as we were tweens and teens, there might have even been some flirting. So, when my friend told me about her upcoming walk I immediately started to think about how I could help or add something.
My mini me and I decided to craft something. We wanted to make something cute, colorful and easy. We decided on hair ties. What girl doesn’t need more hair ties?! We knew how to make then, but getting the materials was our immediate challenge. We went to two local craft stores and could not find the elastic we needed. Thankfully Amazon was at my finger tips. We ordered 4 different looks. At the store we did get lucky and find the cutest charms to add.
The elastic arrived a couple of days later! Making the ties was very easy: measure and tie. I did heat the ends so the elastic wouldn’t fray.
Next, I needed to add them to the cardstock cards I cut. We decided on four hair ties per card. We think they look cute. I am excited to show them to my friend. I sent her a picture, but they are cuter in person.
I sort if forgot to process my cart for a day or two….I was starting to curse Amazon, but it was me who was delayed. Mentally delayed! Once the bags were actually ordered I got to work making a sticker for the bags.
Once I had all of the pieces it was time to put everything together. I am very happy with the results. I enjoyed every part of this project. The short amounts of time I spent on each aspect was like me time. I know the end result is going for a cause, but it was nice to focus on something enjoyable. I am happy that when I hand these over to my friend I am truly giving her a mini labor of love.
My hope is we sell out! My mini wants to sell them. She thinks her adorable face will be a selling point. This girl!!! I hope she is right. Who could tell a sweet and polite child no!? It is for a worthy cause. I love that she wants to help give back! I think it is awesome how one idea, started in one persons heart, has had this wonderful ripple effect.
As you can see I didn’t make hundreds. We started with 25. It sounded like a good number….25 people who can also give back when they make their donation. I hope we brighten the hair and hearts of 25 people.
The walk isn’t for a couple of weeks. I will post our day of walking and talking. Crossing fingers for beautiful weather and amazing company. I’ll be sure to share what we bake and take too.
You can always send me a comment or question. You can also follow me. I would love to hear from you. How do you give back? What fills you up?
Added to my Instagram this morning….brought me to writing this post
Sunday can be relaxing, fun, busy, full of chores, or a family day. No matter what Sunday brings there are always a few things I need to, have to….however I justify it…do on Sunday. I am trying to be more positive about this day of the week, not dread it because I know Monday is coming. See the “sun”day. The older I get I feel like I really need to stop and take a minute to stop myself from wandering down the path to Complaintville. I need to turn on my internal GPS and head for Happy Valley! What path did you take this weekend? What were your “to do’s” ? Did you have your best ”sun”day?
Alone Time
I was up not crazy early, but before my people. I had my coffee and was doing all the phone things: email, Instagram, Pinterest, checking my blog stats and thinking about the endless to do list in my head. I checked Facebook. Now Facebook is kinda new for me. Yes, I was living under a huge rock. I really didn’t want it or want to get tangled up in it or add one more thing to check on my phone- which I already have a love hate relationship with, but I have an account now and I sort of like it. I can find the positive value in it as a way of keeping connected to people I do enjoy. I checked all my email accounts and deleted all of the things that entice my shopaholic heart. Everything looked happy out in cyber world.
Once, I was satisfied with all of the social media I needed to use my phone for what I love about it. I looked back at last nights pictures. We attended a charity event with friends, so it was date night and fun friends night. We won a bid on 2 American Girl dolls. Our incredibly blessed child does not need them, but it was for charity, so it feels good to give them to her. I think a full circle moment of charity will be if they do not add to the mess in her playroom. She is a beautiful soul that sees no reason why Mommy and Daddy can’t stand a mess.
Next, I got to text messages. I needed to send a thank you out to our friends who invited us out last night. I really spent time thinking about how awesome they are, how blessed we are to have them in our lives and how much fun it is to connect with new people too. My beautiful friend is putting together a charity walk that is happening Memorial Day weekend. I found this to be inspiring-so I of course want to help in any way I can. I started to think what could I add or do. I got and idea, but I needed to recruit my mini partner in crime. Once I proposed my idea she was in! She loves to give back. I hope that means we are going a good job raising her….fingers and toes crossed. We are going to craft something up….you will have to check it out in a future blog post. I will share pictures.
Laundry
This is a dreaded event for me any day of the week. It is not just a Sunday thing. I want to tell you I am smiling, as I hang dry all of the things I fear the dryer will shrink to fit Barbie, but I can’t. I didn’t smile, but I didn’t pout either…I hate wrinkles more! 2 loads done….more to go. I wish there was a laundry fairy.
Errands
So now that this philanthropic plan has been concocted, it needed some action. We headed out to purchase supplies. Two stores later we found some of what we needed and then Amazon to the rescue. The crafting can begin in 2 days. I often think about how awesome it is that I can order up what I need and see it 2 days later on my porch. That is another check in the love column for my phone. We could have completed a couple of other errands, but we needed to feel the “sun”day, so there is always tomorrow. A bit of fresh air, sunshine and scooter time was needed.
Planning
If you look closely you can see my little Wonder Woman…I try to be just as flexible.
This is the part of my Sunday that I have come to love and embrace. It focuses me. I need this hour to stick stickers, play with colored pens & markers, and feel like I have some control….hahaha. I look back at the week and see what needs to roll to the week ahead. I thankfully didn’t see anything that didn’t get accomplished. I used to do my planning on the couch, but now that I have my new, beautiful work space I sat with all my colorful things that make me happy and started to dominate my upcoming weeks! Don’t ask me why the stickers and colors make me happy-they just do. While we were out at the craft store, I bought the 11 ring punch for my planner. Yes-it was on sale. I have wanted it for a bit. I think it would be nice to punch pages to add to a week, school stuff and mom stuff. I feel better once I have a handle on the week-on paper. The phone calendar gives me zero satisfaction. Do you paper plan? Or just use your phone?
Full disclosure…I am adding this paragraph in my editing phase of this post. I LOVE my paper planner for my home life, but this year for school I started to use an web planner, digital planner-whatever you call it. It has made my teaching life amaze balls. I love it. I didn’t want to share my love of paper today and then post in the future about the web planner I embraced-to make my gingerbread lifestyle lighter and at my finger tips. I will share in an future post. How I handled paper and paperwork this school year is its own story.
Dinner
This is going be a very simple task – thank you crock pot. I sometimes meal prep for the week, but not this Sunday. Like I mentioned before there are some errands that can be done tomorrow, food shopping will be one of them. I am not that great at the whole Sunday food prep thing. I go in spurts. I have a friend that is great at it. I will admire her efforts this week from her daily posts to her Instagram account. I say bravo. I think the hard part for me is knowing what we should even eat for dinner. Sometimes I am perfectly happy with cereal. I am very fortunate that my people are easy going. Are you a planner and prepper OR an eat what your heart is telling you kind of person???
A Delivery
Oh how I love the sound of the delivery truck. I was super happy to get my package today. I saw that Maven Thread put out new headbands this week. Of course I needed them. I truly love these headbands and I can admit I am starting to have a bit of a collection. I try to justify it by sharing with my mini me. I even hung up a new set of hooks to see all of these pretties!
Because I know I will get more I bought a second set of hooks (look of shame)! Do you have a thing that you have multiples of-even though 1 or 2 would suffice?
So, right now I am doing the fun work. Writing this blog post is fun. I do not feel stressed or pressured to get it done. My goal is one post a week. I might do more, but baby steps with momma’s side hustle. I kinda love that I take the time to sit and get thoughts out of my head. I for years have had mini conversations going in my head as I drive from school to school. Maybe later I will work on a new TpT resource….when my early birds head to their nests and this night owl is alone again.
I made something new Friday night. Yep-exciting Friday night!! The hubs worked late and my mini wanted to get lost in Netflix. So, momma made something. I had a sale and it inspired me to push harder and create something that connects to what a a buyer wanted. I was pumped that this person purchased all three resources that went together. I am super new to TpT and I thought if I connected with one buyer, maybe a similar resource will connect with her and others. Right there another reason to love my phone. That sale alert was inspiring. That is my ultimate goal for even making resources. I figure if I would use it teaching my kids-then maybe someone else out there needs it too.
Finding Insipration
I think that is very important for my Sunday. I need to find inspiration to push forward, to maybe lift someone else up and recharge myself for the week. I had a different post planned and I will save it for a rainy day. That pin I posted to Instagram really spoke to me and kind of drove my whole day. Looking for bits of inspiration in print or in people, moments to reflect and slowing my day down… to a point that I felt like I got “all the things” done-but not so much where I felt busy and like a crazy lady! I hope you found some of that today….even if you are reading this on a Wednesday. And if you didn’t maybe you could try tomorrow. I know I will be looking for my inspiration tomorrow.
How stinkin’ cute is this. It totally made my day when I saw it in my Bitmoji pics!!!
If you are interested in the resources I made this week, here are the links.
Spring break is over and I tried to enjoy every minute. If you saw my earlier post my hope for everyone this spring break was to rest, relax and rejuvenate. I shared some ideas on how I like to achieve those three R’s. I was able to do some of them and a few things I hadn’t thought of. I really tried to make the most of this time off. I love a vacation away, but sometimes it is nice to appreciate home.
Monday:
Thank You Spring
Mammogram. Perfect way to start a week off -with a clean bill of health! Pushed the cart at HomeGoods and fed my Rae Dunn addiction. I found a few things that I “needed”. Watched a sappy, girly movie with my mini me-tissues were not optional. So thankful she now enjoys movies with people. I love all our years in animation city, but this new phase is pretty great. Took a family walk and sucked up the sunshine and the signs of spring.
Tuesday:
Totally Spoiled
I don’t know if this is considered relaxing, but I painted our guestroom. Not enough guests to keep it the way it was, so Momma gets a room. Virginia Wolfe would approve. It is a work in progress, but I am happy with it so far. Do you need your own space???
This was literally my whole day. I did stop and make dinner for my family….because the paint was drying (haha). Then I was back at it arranging and trying to make sense of things.
Wednesday:
Girls day! Shopping at the outlet mall with my mini me. We stocked up on Crocs (love a sale). They are her jam! We found the cutest silver glitter pair ( there is a 3rd pair, but she put them on as soon as we got home). Got some mothers day gifts purchased. Felt good to get it done a few weeks before. Vera Bradley made it a very easy task to buy something pretty for blessed women who don’t really need or want a thing. Panera for lunch. I was super happy they have this new (or at least to me) chocolate cookie that is gluten friendly. Delish! Calories don’t count on vacation….right?! After we refueled…Hobby Lobby. Found some cute things for the wall in my work space. Trying to have a positive and inspiring place to get all the things done. We went out to dinner as a family….yep 2x eating out. Had to be done. It’s break!
Thursday:
Family Mini Golf
Did a couple of hours of work. Trying to finish a resource for my TpT store. I have had this idea for my students advocating for themselves for a bit. My hubs took a half day and then it was time to turn off the Chromebook…family first! We went to lunch and then did a round of mini golf. Who says winning doesn’t feel good!?! Haha!
Friday:
Popcorn Always
So typically I love to make it to Friday, but this Friday meant break is coming to a close-what better way to spend it, than to go to the movies and watch a little action! We went to see Avengers: End Game. It was superhero packed-zipping my lips on the details. One thing I can say is it is long and we made sure we got all the good snacks!
The rest of the day was very rainy day blah. A gluten free pasta dinner at home, Marvel movie marathon running in the background and some TpT work. I happily put 2 new resources in my store. I need both of these things. I am already starting to think of end of the year teachers gifts for my teachers and my child’s teachers.
I really have been thinking about this advocacy resource for while. I just needed to sit down and do it. I have most of my annual reviews completed, but I am forecasting for next years advocacy goals. I needed something simple and clear for all parties involved.
Woke up early to go to yoga. I love it once I am there, but I always struggle to leave the house to go workout-especially when it is bleak outside. My Rae Dunn BEAST mug said it all! Getting a good flow in tames the inner struggles. An hour of just listening to the instructor and listening to my breath is a practice for me, because it is hard to not listen to my inner monologue and to do lists. Surrender to the mat!
Got some baking in. This gingerbread girl needed a sweet treat-heavenly with coffee.
We wrapped our Saturday with a very lovely and lively dinner with friends. It feels so good to connect with people you adore. Our lives get too hectic sometimes, so it is nice to enjoy simple moments where everyone was device free and happily social. The kids were great, so a stop at Dairy Queen was the perfect way to say goodnight.
Sunday:
Family Fun
I got up close to my workday alarm time. Tomorrow is going to be an early wake-up, so it was nice to get up by myself and enjoy my morning caffeine just listening to the birds. We had no idea what to do today. Do we do all the Sunday prep things or try to stretch this break out 1 more day. We stretched it out. We decided to do some free family fun and go to the power authority. It was nerdy fun for a couple of hours, then back to reality….laundry and meal prep, planning and errands.
Back to Reality
If you were off this week I hope whatever you did with your time was enjoyable. That you had some time to decompress. I think starting tomorrow there are eight weeks left in my school year. Depending on where you are maybe less. Whatever your count down is, I hope you can enjoy these last weeks. I hope you accomplish whatever you need to finish out 2018-2019. I know this week really put me back on track. I had time to think about what I need to do to make these next two months great. Bye bye spring break….see you next year (maybe on a beach). If you want share what made your week off that would be awesome!
Spring break is days away. I am obviously counting the minutes. I am looking forward to time with my people, some yoga and jellybeans. I wanted to post and wish you a great holiday weekend, long weekend or spring break. I have no plan for this break which is so unlike me. I am really trying to turn my capital type A into maybe a lowercase a (fingers crossed). After this holiday weekend is over I will have a week…one glorious week to try to rest, relax and rejuvenate.
Self care is a new hot term. I am not sure yet if I like the term, but I love the idea. Many of us are running from here to there, taking care of many and forgetting about ourselves, so maybe this is a perfect opportunity to do a little of this self care…..or what ever you want to call it….R&R…me time.
As I was driving between schools today I was trying to think of things that could provide me with a much needed reboot. I love my job, but winter wore me down this year. Maybe it is being another year older or it was just long and salty. Time to put the pep back in my step! Here are a few things I was rolling around:
REST
Take a nap
Sleep in
Good to bed early (huge for me-total night owl)
Take a break from my phone and computer…baby steps
Drive less
RELAX
Binge watch a new show-thank you Netflix
Craft something
Spend time with my peeps
Take a bath
Read
Bake-gluten free of course
Go to the movies-popcorn of course
Get ice cream
Dinner with friends
Girl time
Date night
Book store
Shopping….could be dangerous, especially if the cart is red
Garden
REJUVENATE
Yoga
Pedicure
Facial
Hair mask
Manicure
Workout
Purge something….this is not cleaning. Purging cleanses the soul!
Take a road trip-seeing a new part of the world does wonders
Talk a walk
Well my count down has begun. Two more days of bunnies infused in my lesson plans….which I love. I put together a spring eraser kit to play games that is beyond cute. Using erasers as manipulatives is a fairly new things for me and I love putting sets together. I’ll save that for a future post!
I really wish you wonderful, well deserved time off. If you have the time comment or share what your plans are. Maybe what you did with your time off. Hippity hoppity break is days away!!!
Using erasers as manipulatives is a fairly new things for me and I love putting sets together. I’ll save that for a future post!
The Listening Ladybug 