Catching Up.

Day 23, Thursday: Things you've learned that school won't teach you.

Say you’re sorry and mean it.  Say I love you and mean it.

Day 24, Friday: Your top 3 worst traits.

1. Anxious/worrier/ easily overwhelmed 

2. Easily offended 

3. Quiet and shy 

Day 26, Sunday: Something you read online. Leave a link and discuss, if you'd like.

This is nothing serious, but I found this article on Pinterest and it has forever changed how I organize my house. So many simple, but awesome tricks and tips!

Day 27, Monday: A letter to your readers.

To all 5 of you... :)

Thank you for reading, following, commenting and taking time out of your day to visit my little piece of the web world.  I really do appreciate you! Hope you're having a wonderfully peaceful and rainy Memorial Monday. 

-m

Sad.

The tragedy in Oklahoma is absolutely devastating. I pray for all the families affected by this storm. 

Holding my loved ones extra close today.-m

Image from Mama Laughlin 

A Day in the Life of Me.

Day 15: A Day in the Life.

5:40 AM alarm goes off, by 5:50 I manage to make it to the shower. I had forgotten that I about chopped off my finger last night, but the giant green bandaid reminded me. Ouch. This shower was not easy.

6:45 AM Breakfast made, lunch packed, and headed off to work. 10 school days until summer! Not like I'm counting...

7:00 AM Walking into the building. This morning's weather is why mornings are my favorite. Three students are already outside my door to finish a test.such diligent early risers!

8:05 AM No, I don't work here, nor do I ever leave work before 3:15, but after showing the school nurse my giant cut on my finger, she thought a visit to urgent care during my planning period would be a good idea. Turns out there wasn't one at this place, so back to school I go. I'm tough anyways (ha!).

8:40 AM Morning meeting cancelled so I have time for a quick date with this baby. It actually cooperated with me for once!

9:10 AM Chow time quick before my students come barreling in. That's the new "morning mix" from Trader Joes. Mmmmm.

I couldn't really take pictures, but this is this time of my day when I run around crazy and jump around about excited about math. 13 year olds are the best at brightening a dull day!

12:10 PM Lunchtime! This is a typical lunch (so typical in fact that I get grief for eating it daily), but I don't usually eat at my desk. I had students working in my room over lunch, but I usually eat with other staff for a good chat.

2:55 PM School's out! I pack up, arrange stuff for tomorrow, and chat with a few friends before heading home.

4:00 PM Home sweet home. I put away dishes that were cleaned in our dishwasher (a luxury we haven't enjoyed for almost 2 years!) I must say, it's not THAT much easier though....

6:30 PM After dinner, I caught up on last nights premiere episode of one of y favorite shows, So You Think You Can Dance. I have already seen some amazingly talented dancers in the first audition! It's looking to be a good season. And I love Cat Deeley.

7:00 PM a quick walk around the block with my little family. It's nice to get outside for some fresh air at least once a day.

I'm rounding out the day with a strawberry fruit bar and a good visit to Pinterest. I'm headed to bed early (ok, I always go to bed early).

I can't believe I actually committed to this post! Linking up with Jenni.

-m

10 things that make me happy.

Day 14: 10 things that make me really happy.

Well, this one is fun. And easy.

Mornings. 

My husband. 

My dog, Sadie. 

Baking.

Reunions with friends.  

A good long talk. 

Running a good distance.

Garage sales.

Peace, quiet and reflection. 

Family.

Linking up with Jenni.

An apology.

Day 13- Write a public apology.

I'm sitting here on this beautiful Monday night trying to figure out how to blog from my new iPad. Definitely not as easy as the laptop, but that thing is on its very last leg. I'm also still recovering from the awesome and overwhelmingly busy weekend. We have finally got ourselves situated in this new place we now call home. I've come to realize after moving quite often, that home really is what you make of it. I'm a nester, a homebody, and a sentimental sap. It's much more fun to make a place beautiful than to find a beautiful place. It feels like home here, and that feels perfect.


So, blog-land, I'm sorry I have missed a few days in this challenge! I'm going to do my best to get back on track for at least a few more posts this month. Then, it will be SUMMER! Which means I'll have much more time and hopefully more exciting things to blog about.

Until then, Happy Monday!
-m

Some fears.

Day 7, Tuesday: The thing(s) you're most afraid of. 

Well, taking this less seriously (but not really), very afraid of throwing up. Wish I was kidding. It has been a weird thing I've had to deal with for my whole life. I'll do anything to prevent it from happening. I'm freaking out just writing about it.... Yuck. Moving on!

Other fears? Oh you know, just failing at anything really. I hope I'm getting better at taking risks (the good kind of risks is what we're talking 'bout here).

I've always been afraid of being late.  Almost always to the extent of being excessively and uncomfortably early to things. Maybe that has something to do with the "failure" stuff above. If I am late, I'm usually trying to be casually late. Watch me wake up after my alarm tomorrow after writing this....

Lastly, I'm afraid of letting people down. I want to be a great wife, sister, child, teacher, co-worker, sister-in-law, and friend and I want others to feel that I appreciate them.

Etsy print

A Purpose.

Day 6, Monday: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do'?

This one is tough. I don't necessarily feel like all I do is teach, but it is my first thought when asked this question, as it is a huge part of my life at this point in my life. Teaching involves so many aspects of influencing kids, way beyond learning.  Any teacher you talk to will tell you that! I would hope that not only do my students learn some math in the year they spend in my class, but also become inspired to be more kind, compassionate, open-minded individuals who are inspired by creativity and learning.

Beyond the classroom, I like to "do" things that involve being creative whether that's a DIY project for my house, coking a new recipe or styling a new look for the day. I hope that what I "do" each day brings light to someone else in some way, be that my husband, friends or students.

A Blog Crush.

Day 5, Sunday: Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them? If you don't have blogger friends, talk about a real-life friend or even a family member.

My favorite blog friends are also my real-life friends.  I wish more of my friends blogged!

This blogger is someone I don't know personally, but I've gotten to know what kind of person she is through reading her blog for the past couple of years. Ashley blogs at AshleyAnnPhotography and is an inspiration to so many women I'm sure. I was initially attracted to her great photos and awesome craft skills. Then, I fell in love with her vintage style that she so uniquely incorporates throughout her home. As I continued to read I was inspired by the mother she is to her 4 (now 5!) children. They are always crafting, coloring, getting dirty, having the kind of childhood that kids dream about. Most recently Ashley and her husband adopted a child from China and have documented their journey on the blog. She's incredibly gracious and kind-hearted.  

Hop over and check her out. You won't be disappointed.

Uncomfortable Things and Some Wise Words.

Day 3, Friday: Things that make you uncomfortable.

1. Fast food meat

2. Yogurt... And jello.

3. Walking around without shoes

4. Waiting to talk to someone while they are in a conversation

5. Sitting in the middle seat

6. Talking on the phone in public

7. Chewing ice

Day 4, Saturday: Favorite quote (from a person, from a book, etc) and why you love it.

I love so many quotes that it is hard to pick just one.  I get an email from Real Simple each day with a new quote of the day, and it is a highlight when I see it in my inbox each morning. Here are a couple simple classics that I should do a better job of remembering each day.

The hunt for a good garage sale.

Can you guys believe it is already May?! I came across this post on Story of My Life a while back. Although I'm already a day late (what's new?!), I'm going to attempt the blog every day day in May challenge she has posted. 


I haven't felt particularly inspired as far as posts come lately, so the scripted days seemed like a good practice. Lets hope I can keep it up! Anyone want to join in? The directions and post topics are all listed here.

So here we go...

Day 2, Thursday: Educate us on something you know a lot about or are good at. Take any approach you'd like (serious and educational or funny and sarcastic)

Now, this so called "skill" mostly boils down to some good luck, a little planning and a lot of patience. That is, garage sales. I've been going to garage sales going on 4 years now, and you'd think I'd have enough used junk to last me forever. 

The thing is, the more you go, the more you find, and therefore the more exciting it is to go back out on the hunt! I've found the most random things from supplies and posters for my classroom and my favorite brand new curling iron and hairspray to practically all the furniture in my house. The best part? You never really know what you're going to find. The worst part? Sometimes you find nothing.

So, some tips.
1. Plan your route. Craigslist is a great resource, especially if you're looking for something specific. Don't waste your morning wandering.
2. Go to your most promising ads first. Early bird gets the worm!
3. Neighborhood sales are the jackpot!
4. Don't buy something just because its a good deal, make sure you'll actually use it.
5. Don't buy something unless its a good deal. You can always buy it new!
6. Bring yo bills. Not the big ones.
7. Don't be afraid to offer less than its priced, they could always say no.
8. Greet the sale owner when you walk up. I don't know, it's just weird not to if you're looking through all their stuff, right?
9. Don't get get discouraged when you don't find what you're looking for. It takes time! Also, don't be afraid to put a little love into something that is a little beat up if you can picture it's potential.
10. Have fun! (Duh.)

Enjoy,
-m