Currently... Almost 2015!

I am posting a Currently before the new month begins? WOW. Vacation must be affecting my brain. That's like turning in an assignment before it's due. (Rather than three days late with a list of excuses!) Early is kind of exhilarating! (Clearly EARLY is a word that is not often in use in my vocabulary!

I just LOVE our BlogFriend, Farley. It's like she gives us a present each month through Currently. All of her posts have a funny line (or twelve)--and they are, at the same time, often the source for much reflection for me! Farley is sort of like a Public Service Announcement for "Take Care of Yourself." After you link up today, be sure to link back and read a few of her "other" posts--along with Currently, of course!

Here are my musings now and for the month ahead...

I've truly enjoyed my vacation this year. I have done a lot of resting and relaxing. I've watched TV, and read books and magazines, and taken naps whenever the mood struck. I have to admit I am getting comfortable with this laid-back lifestyle. I just hope I don't fall asleep in the middle of the day when I return to school!

I really want to have a plan for my after school time when we return to school. I am NOT an afternoon kind of person. I like to get up early (often before 5:00) and I can stay up late into the night. But the middle of the day...

We are an "early start" school. We have to be there by 7:20 and "duty" starts at 7:25 if you have a morning assignment.  I have playground duty or "Greeter" duty most days, and I'm almost always on time. But our school day ends at 2:00 (which I love, love, LOVE!). Of course, there are meetings and IEPs and tutoring after school, but I can be out of the parking lot by 4:00 on most days... if I don't work after school. Since this time of day is not my most productive, I am usually a work-in-the-evening kind of gal. I love planning after dinner with my coffee close by. But before I can plan I need to organize what I have dragged home. Too often my way of finishing the school day is to dump everything in sight into a box and take it all home to be sorted, graded, etc. (And, sometimes, I don't look at the box at all in the evening.)

If I am a little more strategic, I would be a lot more organized. So, I am thinking of making an "After School To Do" list. I may even make it into a sticker chart! I am not beyond working for extrinsic rewards--how about a mini Kit Kat if I get it done?! I just need to do one hour of concentrated work after school, so that I don't have three hours of chaos in the evenings. Make sense?

Like everyone, I'm sure, I have plenty of goals for the new year. At the moment, I have Kit Kats in every room (My students know me too well!) and I am going to have to give them away if I am to find space for an apple or two! And I want to exercise more and sleep more--which can be accomplished if I don't say YES! to every project, training, and activity that comes along.

With all of that extra time I'll be saving by organizing myself after school, I could learn to do something new. At this moment, I am thinking I'd like to learn how to play the violin! Or... maybe I'll just eat a few more Kit Kats, take a nap, and dream about it!

Don't forget to link up with Farley...

 

Wishing you a happy, JOY-filled New Year!

Just One Word... with Punctuation This Time.

Do you choose "One Little Word" each year? I love the simplicity of this tradition! 

There's a whole website devoted to the concept. You can check it out HERE.

I have made lists and lists of resolutions over the years... only to lose the paper before the new year begins. (And, often, my commitment to "healthy eating" lasts only until I pass one of the four Starbucks within a mile's distance from my house!) Resolutions are so daunting--and they are lost all together as soon as they are "broken."

But I can manage one word. It's just do-able for me.

For well over a week, I have been thinking about my word for 2015...

For a day or two, the word-to-be was CONTEMPLATE. However, I think I may already take "contemplate" to an obsessive level (as evidenced by the hours spent mulling over my new word!) But I knew that over-thinking was part of my problem, so I kept refining...

My life is often like an wobbling tricycle speeding down a steep hill. In too many situations, I hurry to get going... and keep going. Sometimes I don't think things through carefully until I am already in mid-speed. So, for a  little while, I thought the word should be STOP. But that sounded so... abrupt. (And a little scary).

So I decided that the word should be WAIT. Just wait before you rush into things. Into so many things. Into TOO many things. Yes! And yet... Well, wait felt too much like procrastination. (And I've already mastered that skill too!) Nope I wasn't there yet.

And then I thought of PAUSE.

PAUSE before I commit hours of my time (Do I really want to spend six hours recreating that water cycle diagram?)
PAUSE before I purchase (Do I need all of the books in the series right now or can I get one now and have money for something else?)
PAUSE before I over-contemplate (ruminate?) over things. (Wouldn't it be better to just pray and take action?!)
PAUSE before I eat the cookie/cookies and consider an alternative (Although you don't prefer an apple, won't you feel better later?)
PAUSE before I comment (Will those words be kind enough or do I need to rethink my response?)
PAUSE before I say "yes" to more things than I can handle (Are you willing to give up even more sleep if you commit to doing something else?)
PAUSE before I choose my word for the year. (Are you sure this it it? )

                                                  Just.
                                                        Pause.

Pause. With a period. Pause. Think. Reflect. And then act. I can already imagine saying this to myself throughout the day! Unconventional, yes. But I like it. (Happy Sigh!)

Do you have a word yet? If you do... and even if you don't... Casey Jane at PrimaryPowers is having a Link-up. Lots of bloggers have joined in. And they are sharing their words if you need some direction or some motivation... or if you are looking for ideas. Click on the graphic to enjoy their reflections. And then come back and link up your own word!

The new year is SO close. I am sending you all good wishes!

Sending You Happy Holiday Wishes!

I'm wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season! I hope that you spend the day surrounded by family and friends... and that the holiday season is filled with good memories, plenty of laughter and lots of love!

Visit, Enter... and WIN! (It could be YOU!)

I have a LOT of clip art in my collection. A. LOT. And I have clip art from many different artists. But my clip art collection is special to me for a different reason: Through blogging and TpT, I have the opportunity to meet the real people who create that fabulous art!

One of my favorite clip artists is Zippy from Zip-A-Doo-Dah Designs. She is very talented... AND she is very sweet too! Here's a sampling of what is in my own Zippy collection...

So much loveliness!

And why am I telling you this? Because Zippy is having an AMAZING giveaway. In fact, there are twelve days of giveaways! And I am so lucky enough to be a part of the giveaway for Day 11. And if you enter, you can win a $30 Target gift card! What a perfect time to have some extra spending money!

But that's not all! You can win some store credits at TpT or some featured products. Lucky me... I am THRILLED to partner up with Amy Alvis and Joey Udovich. They are two of my blogging mentors! And their stores are packed with great stuff!

Here are the store and blog links for my pals...

• Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs on TpT... HERE
• Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs on facebook... HERE

• Amy Alvis on TpT... HERE
• Amy Alvis' blog... HERE

• Joey Udovich on TpT... HERE
• And you can visit her blog... HERE

So... How do you enter? Just follow the Rafflecopter directions below. I'm sending you lots of good luck wishes... I hope you win!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway