Finding Time--Oh, Glorious Snow Days

Giles County School's Inclement Weather & Schedule Information

           

	Regular Schedule
	1 Hour Late Schedule
	2 Hour Late Schedule  1-12-15
	Closed
	1 Hour Early Release
	2 Hour Early Release
	Other – Student Holiday / Teacher Workday - Parent-Teacher Conferences 9am-Noon

Oh, snow days,

How do I love thee?

Let me count the ways...

If you are a teacher, married to a teacher, or have ever experienced the pure bliss of a snow day or a delayed school schedule, then you know exactly what I'm talking about!!!  I know I'm supposed to say that watching students learn brings me joy, and it does, but if I'm completely honest, snow days and 2 hour delays are AH-MAY-ZING!!! And if I'm really, really honest, sometimes it's about all that helps me get through the dark, cold days of January and February.  (Shh, don't tell anyone.)  I know I'm not the only one here that feels like a kid again waiting to see our county's name scroll across the TV or get that heavenly sent robotic phone call that says, "Giles County Public Schools will be closed, January 8, 2015."

Week 2 Goals

Last week went better than I had expected. We had to readjust back to "school mode" and I was a little nervous that the mornings would be a struggle!  I think it was harder for me than the kiddos.  There is just something about flannel sheets, I could stay wrapped up in them all day.  Even with wind chills below zero, I was able to pull myself out of bed and get the day started.  I drag myself out of bed at 5:30 5:35 5:40 5:45 every morning so I can give myself a little buffer time to drink coffee, read, and sometimes write before the kids get up.  If I could force myself out of bed by 5:30, I really could accomplish a lot more!  Maybe that should be a new goal...


Last week's goals:

Mind and Soul

• finish The Witness Wore Red--I can't WAIT to update you on this book. WOW!  This was a good one!
• finish Too Busy Not To Pray--another great one to update you on! Almost done; I did reread the first 3 chapters to get ready for our Bible study group.

Marriage

• decide on destination for anniversary trip Gatlinburg, TN here we come!  Seclueded cabin, hot tub, amusement park, whitewater rafting, here we come!  We are leaving right after the school year ends, what a perfect way to kick off summer!

What I've Read: Week 1

One of my goals this year is to refocus on reading for pleasure.  When I took a different teaching position at my school, I left behind the luxury of reading daily with my middle schoolers.  As a result, I have been seriously lacking in my reading for pleasure.  I still read my Bible devotions and self-improvement books, but it had been months since I had lost myself in a good book.  Christmas break provided a wonderful excuse to get back at it, and boy am I glad I did!

We spent a week after Christmas in Tennessee and without the stress of having to clean and maintain our house, I found myself with a lot of extra time!  It was just what I needed.  Thankfully, before we left, I asked my sweet sister-in-law (so excited I can finally use that term!) if she had any good recommendations.  She is a voracious reader and I'm so jealous she can read so fast and finish books so quickly.  She told me about The Rosie Project and O.M.G. I'm soooo glad I followed her advice.  This book is absolutely hilarious.  The main character, Don, is a geneticist and has Aspergers, but doesn't realize it, and sets about to find the perfect wife, based solely on a questionnaire.  His self-admitted lack of social skills, makes him think that he can find a suitable mate if she fits into the right categories, completely ignoring emotions involved.  He is an extremely accessible character and the author, Graeme Simsion, does a fantastic job of making his characters authentic and you can truly see the world through their eyes.  I highly recommend this book if you are looking for an easy, light-hearted read!



                                                     

Starting to read again has been a real pleasure and so good for my soul.  I can get lost in a book for a little while and totally forget all of the daily pressures.  Such a good release!!

What do you suggest I add to my must read list?

Week 1 Goals

I'm excited to kick start this year and hope to accomplish a lot this week.  Here's what I'm looking at trying to accomplish, in addition to my full-time teaching job. =)

Mind and Soul

• finish The Witness Wore Red--I can't WAIT to update you on this book.
• finish Too Busy Not To Pray--another great one to update you on!

Marriage

• decide on destination for anniversary trip

Children

• begin The Bloom Bible study
• research activities for kiddos to participate in

Friendships

• decide on group for Too Busy Not To Pray

Health

• walk 3 times

Let's get it started, ha, let's get it started in here--I love the Black Eyed Peas!!

What's your week looking like?

My 2015 Goals

There is something I absolutely love about the new year! (Should that be capitalized?  Am I using that in general or specifically?  Who knows...good thing no one entrusts me to teach their kids grammar, oh wait, they do!)  While I do love decorating for Christmas and filling my home with all of our memories and creating that warm, cozy feeling, I also love taking everything down.  There is something so nice about the renewed, minimalist look (I use the term minimalist very loosely, there is just less junk than before, that counts, right?) It's the same feeling I get when I can throw out an empty food container, it's so satisfying to have one less thing in our house.  I love the new clean and open feel we eventually have when all of the junk is put away and reorganized.

January is also the perfect excuse to refocus on my goals, which inevitably wane at the end of every year.  And, my list loving self adores making a list that I can check off throughout the year.  And then this list and spiral into a weekly list, and then that list into a daily list.  Oh, how I love making lists.  So much satisfaction from making and then marking out each item...

I thought this year about how to organize my goals and categorize them, and decided on focusing on different aspects of my life that seemed the most doable.  So without further ado...

Goals for My...

Mind and Soul

• read one pleasure book per month
• read one self improvement, money, marriage, etc. book per month
• continue to rise early to read a Bible study book and pray

Goals Update and 10 New Goals for the Week

We're going to pretend like last week just didn't happen in terms of setting goal setting.  Thanksgiving was amazing and relaxing and I just didn't feel the need to do anything more than hang out with the hubby and kids and enjoy our time off together.

Marriage Goals

1. Watch a movie together. A Madea Christmas is HILARIOUS!!
2. Play a game together...maybe Boggle... Our family loves games: Ticket to Ride, Scattergories, Boggle...

Mothering Goals
3. Begin reading The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary aloud with the kids.
4. Cook one meal together.

Household Goals
5. Get back on track with meal planning and cooking at home. This was somewhat successful.  We had a bunch of food leftover from the funeral, but I did make a great pot of soup one night.  Recipe coming soon!

6. Clean dining room and kitchen windows.--The bugs are killer here! Well, I got the living room windows done.  They take forever.

Personal Goals
7. Restart my Proverbs 31 Woman study.  Ok, ok, I'll really start that this week.

8. Find and begin reading a good novel. I got Hell's Corner by John Grisham from my mom and hope to begin it soon!

9. Write 3 blog posts.

Work Goals
10. Complete 2 weeks of lesson plans.  Nothing to worry about over Thanksgiving!
11. Only stay late 2 afternoons.

Marriage Goals

1. Watch a movie together.
2. Plan something special for hubby's birthday.

Mothering Goals
3. Begin reading The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary aloud with the kids.
4. Plan out Family Advent Activities for December.
5. Do a Christmas craft together.

Household Goals
6. Get back on track with meal planning and cooking at home.
7. Clean dining room windows.

Personal Goals
7. Restart my Proverbs 31 Woman study.
8. Begin reading Hell's Corner.
9. Write 3 blog posts.
10. Create 3 products for my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Work Goals
11. Complete 1 week of lesson plans.
12. Only stay late 2 afternoons.

Proverbs 21:5
The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

What are you up to this week?

10 Goals For This Week

This week is starting on a somber note as we will be celebrating the beautiful life of my grandmother and mourning the emptiness left in our hearts.  As with all heartache, we know that time will pass and heal the hurt, but this rainy Monday is a perfect time for reflection and taking it easy.  After that I plan to get back on track with my goals.  So without further ado...

Marriage Goals

1. Watch a movie together.
2. Play a game together...maybe Boggle...

Mothering Goals
3. Begin reading The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary aloud with the kids.
4. Cook one meal together.

Household Goals
5. Get back on track with meal planning and cooking at home.
6. Clean dining room and kitchen windows.--The bugs are killer here!

Personal Goals
7. Restart my Proverbs 31 Woman study.
8. Find and begin reading a good novel.
9. Write 3 blog posts.

Work Goals
10. Complete 2 weeks of lesson plans.
11. Only stay late 2 afternoons.

Proverbs 21:5
The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.