I Like Blogging, Yes I Do!

Hi! Today is the first day of the rest of my blog...

Huh... What?

As part of my "It's a New Year, So Get Organized!" program, I have made a commitment to do a better job with Blogging (I gave the word a capital B to show my intent!)

Too much? I figured enthusiasm would keep me going, so I had to make a purple commitment!
And, in case you are wondering (as I often am when I see a font I love!) this is one of Jen Jones' new fonts: Hello Lori. While I don't know who Lori is, I sure like the font! You can get Jen's fonts at her blog, Hello Literacy. And the digital paper is by one of my favorite designers: Moo and Puppy (How could you not like the art with a name like that? Not to mention... Instant downloads!)

In reflecting about WHY I wanted to blog in the first place, I remembered that I wanted to share what was happening in my classroom. I wanted to chronicle our adventures and share our successes--as well as our flops and our follies. (After all, since I can't keep my plan book filled in, maybe I could look at my blog to find out what we did the day after we returned from Winter Break!)

Almost daily, I read about the amazing teaching that happens in so many classrooms. I see fabulous teacher-created materials that are used and wonderful, inspiring lessons that are implemented...  and as I meander through BlogWorld, it's quite easy to be humbled.

Too often, I feel like what I am doing is not blog-worthy. And, in reality, maybe it is not. But if I want to share what is really happening, I will have to face the facts that sometimes life in sixth grade may be just ordinary. (Actually, that may be the case more often than sometimes!) And I just need to let that be okay.

Maybe we are not doing anything earth-shattering or even newsworthy in my classroom, but it's what's happening with us. A bunch of tweenagers spending 175 days with their Starbucks-addicted teacher! (I am trying hard not to sound like the intro to so many of those shows on TLC... "It's my life... La Dee Dah...")

Whew! I feel better already. How did all of this self-reflection and realization come about?

I found an unfinished and unposted linky image in my To Do file (and I have a LOT of those!). I guess, in typical form, my News Year's post was destined to come out on January 17th (however, it IS still January!) Even though I knew the linky was late, I knew I still wanted to post it. And there it was, my blogging goal: Blog twice a week.

And though it bothers me (greatly) that the picture extends out of the column, I had two choices: too large for the column or too small and blurry to read. Have I mentioned that I need extra strength reading glasses?

The linky is still going on at Making It As A Middle School Teacher. In fact, there are thirteen days remaining. Clearly Michelle was considering people like me. And I'm sure that she would be tickled if you linked up too (Just click the picture to get there). That would also help me not be the last one in the link-up. Then, of course, you might want to have someone to link up after you...

Just posting this makes me feel accomplished! And you know what else? It reminded me that I am glad to be teaching sixth grade. It's difficult and it's exhausting, but if I can't be an archaeologist, or a CSI or a Starbucks taste-tester, at this point in my little life, this IS where I want to be.

You know what ELSE is helping me get back on track? I found a Blog Planner! Actually I tried to make one based on something I saw online. I spent four hours last Sunday afternoon trying to get the spacing just right and trying to get the colors of the circles just right... and then choosing a just-right font... The result? I have half of one page done. And my last blog post was still languishing from January first!

It looks like this...

Isn't it lovely? And here's what is really amazing: Sweet Erica at Confessions of a Homeschooler is offering this planner for free at her site. Click on the picture to take you there. Isn't that so generous of her?!  She even offers two varieties, so you can differentiate your blog planner selection! However, if you only want half of an unfinished page, I'd be happy to send you mine...

It's hard to imagine (okay it's hard for ME to imagine!), but I already have three more things to talk about! That's three days of blog posts that I planned in advance! Of course, I don't know what the sixth graders are doing in science tomorrow, but I know what I am blogging about on Saturday! And it's written in my Blog Planner! The successive (maybe I meant excessive?) exclamation marks throughout this post are a clear indication that I am feeling pretty excited... a sincere WooHoo giddy feeling. I just love finding the right font, the right pen, the right shade of cardstock... or the right tool to help me organize my blogging self! And if I start planning right now, I might get my very own Blog Planner ready too... at least by the time it is 2014!

Yep, I counted:  Twenty-two exclamation points. But since I have JOY in the title of my blog, I think that's quite fine.

I am hoping that your Friday and your weekend will be filled with exclamation point-worthy events. And thanks for sharing in some of my JOY today...