Category: Celebrate This Week

It’s Saturday and that means it is time to reflect on the week and celebrate things both big and small. Join our community and celebrate this week by linking up or just stopping by the host Ruth Ayres’ blog to read others’ celebrations.

New Friends

     This week, I had two very nice and very fulfilling conversations with people who are my neighbors in the apartment complex. We met to talk about essential oils, but our conversations went so much deeper. I came out of each of these meetings with so much more energy to think about the future and where I am headed. I am excited that one woman who I met with is interested in doing a book study together. The conversations that I had with both of these new friends were cathartic and just what the universe ordered for me. 

VIP Kid

   I was curious and have been looking at the idea of teaching for VIP Kid for a long time. I applied to this company, and didn’t really know how quickly the process would go. Turns out, you have hard and fast deadlines when going through the process.

I would definitely advise anyone who is interested to make sure they understand the whole interview process before even applying. You have to prepare some online classes and you have short timelines in which to do so. I sucked it up and got it done. 

I was hired and now I need to do the work to get classes booked and start teaching. In this company, you teach Chinese children English online. It is interesting because the hours you work are really different, since you are dealing with the time difference. I am excited to see how things go in the next few weeks! Wish me luck with getting classes booked! 

To apply for VIP Kid, you just need to have a Bachelor’s degree. It is obviously helpful if you have teaching certifications and/or experience, but it is not necessary. If you look into it, and decide to apply, I would love to help you through the process and give you some tips for the interviews.

Here is my referral link:  https://t.vipkid.com.cn/activity/popup?refereeId=14886431&refersourceid=a01

 

Daily Harvest

I just started getting a new subscription box last week. It is super fun and I feel so healthy!!!

The box is full of frozen cups. There is a selection of smoothie cups, overnight oats, chia pudding, harvest bowls, and sundae cups. You can choose the cups you would like in the box and they ship right to your door, with a fun piece of dry ice in the package!!

All of the recipes are fun and tasty and all include some sort of super food. 

I highly recommend this for anyone who just wants to up their produce intake in a yummy way! If you use the referral code here, you will receive 3 free cups in your first box:     https://daily-harvest.com/r/RE-6K5KE4L

 

 

 

 

 

 

School

So, basically, I have had a tough year. Again. I won’t go into much detail, but it has been rough. A small part of that has been teaching 2nd grade. I have spent so many years in intermediate grades and middle school that the transition back to primary was rough (there are many, many, many other factors but this definitely had a role in it).

I am excited that my principal recognized that and has decided to place me in 4th grade for next school year. This is absolutely amazing! I will love being back in my wheelhouse and being able to better serve the students and families at this school, through increased competence in my job. 

The other thing I am celebrating when it comes to school, is the ease of using Mystery Science for an engaging learning opportunity. I am loving it, and so are my students! I am thankful for their free trial opportunity right now. 

What do you have to celebrate this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

It’s Saturday and that means it is time to reflect on the week and celebrate things both big and small. Join our community and celebrate this week by linking up or just stopping by the host Ruth Ayres’ blog to read others’ celebrations.

Spring Break

     I made it through the last couple of crazy weeks! We all need a break and I hope that after our time away, my students will not be on each other’s nerves so much. Having some time away will be good for us all. 

Alone Time

    As an introvert, I love time to myself. I get so much energy from being alone and being able to do whatever I please. This week, I will have a lot of time to myself. My husband’s school does not have the same break as mine, so I am off and he is not. That gives me all kinds of alone time during the work week. I am really looking forward to that time to myself. 

My New Coffee Cup and The Ultimate Coffee Machine

I splurged last week on a fun new travel mug at my local coffee shop, Colectivo coffee.  I had so much fun using this mug each day this week. The best part is the fancy coffee machine that is available to me at my apartment lobby. Great coffee in a fun mug puts a smile on my face to start the day. 

What do you have to celebrate this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

It’s Saturday and that means it is time to reflect on the week and celebrate things both big and small. Join our community and celebrate this week by linking up or just stopping by the host Ruth Ayres’ blog to read others’ celebrations.

St Patty’s Day

     This holiday always reminds me of my grandmother. We had corned beef and cabbage together most years to celebrate her Irish heritage. I love seeing all the celebrations and the fun that people have during this time of year. 

 

Sunshine and Spring On Its Way 

    It has been a great week full of sunshine. The temperatures here in Wisconsin are still Winter temperatures, but the sun has been so much fun to see. It seems to give everyone a much more chipper outlook on life. 

 Apartment Living

  We sold our house last fall and moved into a swanky new apartment building. I love being able to walk to a lot of fun businesses and restaurants. We both feel so much lighter without the responsibility of taking care of a house and a lawn. We also were able to make some smart financial moves with the sale of our house. At this point, we have settled in and almost everything is put away in its new place. We purged SOOOO many things and that feels amazing too. This week with the sunshine, it has felt so nice to get out and take walks and enjoy this life. 

Reading as a Balm for our Souls

    This week was tough. My class is a very large class of 31 second graders. Within that big group, there are about 5 kiddos who have tantrums and have a very difficult time with following directions and not always getting what they want. On Friday, there was a point that I just knew we needed to do something else besides what was on the lesson plans. What is amazing about this group of kids is their love of a good story. We stopped what we were doing, I gathered them to the carpet, and we read some good books together. I hadn’t yet read these picture books, but I was happy to see them on Epic Reads so I could read them to the kiddos. We enjoyed the stories of Rosie Revere, Engineer; Ada Twist, Scientist; and Iggy Peck, Architect. For those moments of reading, the arguing stopped, the poking and shoving and tapping and throwing little things stopped, the extra talking stopped, and we all just enjoyed some great books. 

What do you have to celebrate this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

It’s Saturday and that means it is time to reflect on the week and celebrate things both big and small. Join our community and celebrate this week by linking up or just stopping by the host Ruth Ayres’ blog to read others’ celebrations.

Birthday Milestone

     On July 31st, I turned 40 years old. I had a nice birthday lunch and gave myself a new fun Keurig coffee maker.

 

 

 Turning 40 did not feel much different from turning any other age, but I did do some extra reflecting on things.

    I remember throwing my mom a surprise 40th birthday party. It was difficult because my father had passed away a year before, so I had to call around to her friends and get them to help me. I was only 14, so I needed rides to the stores to order cake and get party supplies. I think the party was a success. I have never asked my mom if she was actually surprised or not. I am not sure I want to know the answer to that. What really stood out to me in approaching my 40th birthday is how young my mother really was when she became a widow. I am so grateful every day for my husband and his good health. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult that stage in my mom’s life must’ve been. 

    The other thing that I always find myself reflecting on is the way our life has evolved into a life without children. Turning 30 was very difficult for me, because I had goals in my head of being a mom by that time. All my other big life moments were achieved along the time line I had imagined for myself. Yet, there I was turning 30 without a baby. I have since come to terms, for the most part, with the fact that my husband and I have stopped hoping for a miracle baby. Yet, turning 40 seemed to bring out one more twang on the heart strings and one more tear down my cheek, highlighting my grief for one brief moment before tucking it back away. 

     Although my reflections may have been downers, I did quite enjoy my birthday. I do love and appreciate all the warm wishes that were sent my way. It is so nice to get to be the center of attention for just a little bit of time. We had a great time at the birthday party my mother threw for me! We rented out a room at Ale Asylum brewery in Madison, and had our own private patio with the party room space. So fancy!

A Season of Plenty and Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

    For about a year, I have been working to build a business with doTERRA essential oils. I have been teaching classes and sharing experiences with the oils and helping people to discover how these products can help their health. Last Sunday, I taught a Back to School workshop. It was the best attended class I have taught thus far. It was so nice to meet other teachers in my district and to share essential oils with them. I am getting to the point that my efforts are earning me a small side income and I am so grateful for that! This road of working to build a business has also led me to many different resources for personal development and I have enjoyed learning and improving my habits. 

 Healthy Choices

   I have been consistently getting to the gym and working to eat a Paleo diet. Although I am not perfect at following the rules, I have been able to try some fun new recipes this week. I figured out making cashew cheese, which was actually quite easy. After having success with that, I decided to try making almond milk. It was so delicious! And easy! I will definitely make that again soon. (I just have to hide the almonds from my husband who LOVES nuts–which is the reason I haven’t made more yet–my almonds disappeared) 

A Wonderful Summer 

    My husband officially heads back to school next week, and I will have my unofficial start at putting together my new classroom. I am feeling very blessed with having had just the right mix of getting things done and being lazy this summer. I am ready to head into the fall and feeling rejuvenated by a full and happy summer. 

What do you have to celebrate this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

It’s Saturday and that means it is time to reflect on the week and celebrate things both big and small. Join our community and celebrate this week by linking up or just stopping by the host Ruth Ayres’ blog to read others’ celebrations.

Family Time

    I went to Madison to spend a night with my mother two weeks ago. Every year, we try to go to Maxwell Street Days, a massive sidewalk sale on State Street downtown. I drove to Madison on Thursday afternoon and we went out to dinner and an outdoor concert. The capitol building was so beautiful as we walked back to my mom’s condo! 

     During that short trip, we shopped, had lunch with my aunt, and went to my great-aunt’s house to pick raspberries before I drove home Friday afternoon (we won’t discuss the ridiculous traffic in Milwaukee and the extra hour sitting at a standstill). I love living close enough to pop over for an overnight! 

    I also have enjoyed some awesome morning walks with Ramon and the two dogs. Since we are both teachers, we both have the summer off. It is great to be able to spend time together. (We are also learning to give each other space…that is something that we have to relearn each summer for some reason)

Our Rambunctious Duo

 

Kiko sure loves this beige couch while Carmela seems to enjoy the purple one. A dog’s life certainly is a lot of napping. Maybe we should take a cue from them!       

 

 

 

 

 

Healthy Choices

   We have been eating better during the last week or so. I love summer vegetables and am subscribed to a CSA box this summer. It is so fun to get creative with the abundance of veggies in my box!

I also was more consistent in getting my workouts in this week, and I signed up for a new workout challenge in August! 

What do you have to celebrate this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

It’s Saturday and that means it is time to reflect on the week and celebrate things both big and small. Join our community and celebrate this week by linking up or just stopping by the host Ruth Ayres’ blog to read others’ celebrations.

Sunshine Through the Sunroof

     We recently traded in a car so that we could bring our monthly payments down and have more money to budget toward paying off debt. Both my husband and I were very happy with this decision. The best part about it is that now we have two cars with sunroofs. Now, don’t get me wrong, we don’t have super fancy cars. We just have cool features in our cars. 

   Sunroofs make me happy. I love sunshiny days and I love being able to enjoy them in my car. It just makes my day brighter. One of the best memories I have of my father was during the three months before he passed away, when he finally purchased a Mercedes Benz. He had dreamed his entire life about being able to have a Mercedes. He finally got to a place in which he could afford to lease the lowest priced sedan and he went for it. He LOVED that car. And it had a sunroof. Driving down the roads with our windows down and the sunroof open and blasting folk music is one of the best movies that plays in my mind. I was thirteen and I seldom had times when I thought my dad was cool, but these were moments in which I just enjoyed being with him. My sunroof now reminds me of this. Every. Single. Time. 

A Rambunctious Duo

     We have our hands full with our two dogs. Kiko is the newer addition to our house, and he sure is full of energy! The two dogs play every morning from the very first second that we let Kiko out of his crate. It is so much fun to have such energy in this household. And, they are pretty darn cute!

 

Summer Speed

   I love the slower pace of summertime. I have spent a lot of time making goals and doing some work, but mostly we are just playing it by ear after a two week visit from my brother-in-law. We loved having him here, but it is great to have our house back to normal.

What do you have to celebrate this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

It’s Saturday and that means it is time to reflect on the week and celebrate things both big and small. Join our community and celebrate this week by linking up or just stopping by the host Ruth Ayres’ blog to read others’ celebrations.

At School

    My days at school are tough. I have a group that just does not let up. There are many kiddos in my class who have trauma and psychological issues. My energy is depleted every day dealing with trying to keep an even keel in the classroom. But, every day we do get through the day and we get some learning done along the way. I have been successful in making sure that no one is getting hurt. That is something to celebrate!

     I am super proud of how far the refugee newcomer students have come this school year. They did not speak any English when they got to my classroom in September. They did not ever attend school in Malaysia. They are like sponges soaking in all the learning. In the last few weeks, all of a sudden, one of the girls turned into a little chatterbox. And she has taken to writing stories. We were working out a social problem last week and she wanted to communicate with me, so she wrote a whole page to tell me about it. As you can see in the photo, she is doing a phenomenal job at phonetic spelling in English!

 

     

At Home

     We are celebrating a new canine addition to the family. We got Kiko from the Humane Society and the two dogs are absolutely loving each other and all the play time (24/7 if they got to decide it). It is a bit stressful right now, until we train Kiko better, but it is fun to have two wagging tails greeting us at the door! 

What do you have to celebrate this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

It’s Saturday and that means it is time to reflect on the week and celebrate things both big and small. Join our community and celebrate this week by linking up or just stopping by the host Ruth Ayres’ blog to read others’ celebrations.

At School

    Last year, I decided that I had to share the magic of Harry Potter with my fourth grade class. We had such a reading community and I just needed to do this. They absolutely LOVED the book. Fast forward to this week. I was talking with a colleague at school. Her son was in my class last year. She was telling me how he is obsessed with the Harry Potter books. YES! That is exactly what I had hoped when sharing the first one last year. Even better, I had the entire set of books at home in a pile, waiting for a home to be donated to. I brought the books to school on Friday. About ten minutes into the school day, my former student came into my classroom to thank me profusely for the books. When I spoke with my colleague, she said that she had told him to wait until after school and not interrupt my class, but that he told her he couldn’t wait to come thank me. I love that my books are finding an amazing home with this kid. Harry Potter is magical. 

At Home

     Scores for National Board came out yesterday. The process is different now and candidates can do a component at a time. Last year, life got in the way so the only thing I did was the Assessment center component. I passed this part of the process! One down, three to go! 

What do you have to celebrate this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

It’s Saturday and that means it is time to reflect on the week and celebrate things both big and small. Join our community and celebrate this week by linking up or just stopping by the host Ruth Ayres’ blog to read others’ celebrations.

My Classroom

    I am celebrating the fact that we have teacher work days this coming Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. It is a much needed time to organize our space and get ahead on some planning. 

At Home

     At the local coffee shop, yesterday morning, I ran into two different mothers of former students. I loved hearing from each of them about how their children are doing. I loved the fact that each of them took the time to pause in what they were doing to say hi and chat with me. Both kiddos graduated last June and are on to higher education now. It is so wonderful to know that students are doing well and that their families still hold me in high regard. These connections are the reason that I do what I do. 

What do you have to celebrate this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

It’s Saturday and that means it is time to reflect on the week and celebrate things both big and small. Join our community and celebrate this week by linking up or just stopping by the host Ruth Ayres’ blog to read others’ celebrations.

My Classroom

This was the first week in the school year that we made it through the whole week without anyone storming out of the classroom or having a meltdown and needing to be removed. In fact, a couple days this week we actually got through all of the learning that I had planned. This is huge! I have been slowly and calmly working to earn the trust of my most needy students. I am working to chip away at their knee-jerk reactions and impulse to talk back and argue about everything. I am coaxing them to give things a try and work to develop a growth mindset. And we are making progress. It is slow progress, but it is happening. 

There is never a day in my classroom in which we achieve full silence. There are just too many kids that can’t do it. Someone somewhere in the room is wiggling or making noise at all times. So it isn’t surprising that when kids are starting to gain confidence with something, they loudly call it out. Our math lessons this week were joyfully noisy, because those impulsive kiddos were starting to understand the area model that we have been working on and then loudly proclaiming their success. I worked hard to patiently admonish them for their outbursts, while at the same time celebrating with them those successful moments that are much-needed boosts to their confidence. 

I also want to celebrate the exuberant noise of our board game time. It gets loud. Very loud. But, through the noise, we learn to play with each other without conflict. We learn to have fun with classmates that may not be the people we play with outside for recess. We spend time enjoying our community. 

I added a gratitude box to our daily reflection sheet and I loved some responses this week. 

Last, but certainly not least, I want to celebrate the love that I am showered with every day. I must’ve received at least 20 pieces of student artwork this week. I can’t remember the last time I had a class with so many students so eager to draw me pictures and write me notes and cards.  It is a reminder about the fact that sometimes the most difficult students are the ones that need the most love. 

At Home

I am just celebrating a nice weekend with nothing special planned. I enjoy the time to relax and rejuvenate. 

What do you have to celebrate this week? I would love to hear from you in the comments!