Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday is stolen form +Alison Mondrach and presented to you on Tuesday! Maybe you should think about making that a real thing, Alison...Linky Party! Who doesn't love a party?

I seem to love Alliteration. I like the idea of "funny kid friday" brought to us by +Kathleen Wright over at kidpeopleclassroom.blogspot.com. I'm putting that link in for my own future reference!

Any more Alliteration bloggings? I have two days of the week down...only need three more! Isn't there a Tried-it Tuesday? Anyone know what blog that comes from that I forgot to bookmark?

I saw Alison's Motivation Monday post and knew it was exactly what I needed on this Tuesday to continue this blog- post Big Time Literacy challenge!

On Monday I miiiiiiiight have taken an early morning nap from 6-9:30am. But then somehow managed to do what  I told myself I was going to do. I ran 1.5 miles to the YMCA, lifted weights for 30 minutes, swam 1000 yards and then ran 1.5 miles back home. After making the kitchen not exactly clean but less dirty, buying ingredients for homemade cupcakes, and successfully grilling dinner by myself on a charcoal grill...I felt like I accomplished a ton, motivation aside.

Why do I bring you Motivation Monday on Tuesday? Because I started the day by eating a "healthy cupcake" in which the only healthy ingredient was zucchini. So...if I already ate the cupcake with chocolate cream cheese frosting....I should probably make plans to get moving to the gym today. But my legs (I'm just full of excuses) hurt from yesterday...

I am also starting to have that feeling of the walls closing in...WHERE did the summer go?  Don't PANIC!... But.. I'm P.....ANIC.....ING!

I didn't get to read all the books I wanted...
I didn't get to visit all the people I wanted enough...
Clean or organize as much as I wanted...
Am I relaxed enough??? HA!
I want more fun!!
I want more time to prepare for next year!!
But Fall is such a nice time of year....

AHHHHHHHHH!!!! I didn't just say that! I'm not ready yet...but I'll keep an open mind about the science of Fall proceeding Summer. 

And yet...

I had a great summer. I am "open to the idea" of getting back to school...I just hate that feeling of wanting more time to do more and learn more. I also don't want another horrible winter. And I know the solution for my creeping panic is in this poster...All in time! One thing at a time! And by day one I will be ready! :)

Today, although I ate a cupcake, I didn't take a nap. Half win?

 I also just realized Alison  had another Alliteration post for Tuesday....

TIME saving Tuesday!

All I have for that today is: 

Bake your cupcakes the night before so you can frost them in the morning and eat them for breakfast. 

Blogging Month Reflection

I think I did well this month!

Thanks Michelle for inviting us to this challenge. 30 days turned out to be too steep for me, and the last week I spent in the Michigan wilderness, but I learned a lot about myself and what I wanted out of my blog! I also enjoyed watching co-workers and complete strangers grow as bloggers. I knew the world of blogging was big, but I didn't realize just HOW big and how many educational resources and link-up were out there. It's time to take the training wheels off and get out there into the big blogging world to continue to learn, grow and contribute!

After spending the last week doing the great lakes circle tour, I'm not going to lie, it was absolutely awesome being away from technology and communication. I didn't have service, and there was nothing I could do about it except to keep relaxing, driving having adventures and making memories. I love technology and what it affords us as educators and learners, but sometimes no technology affords us something even greater!





















Other fun happenings... my mom's dog Stubs (@stubsoftheday) came for her very first visit to my house and LOVED it. After 2 failed professional grooming attempts she was personally washed and brushed (vacuum included) by Gordon and I! Apparently it was just in time as she had her first TV debut on a WCIU (brother's employer) pet segment.

Gordon also ran his very first 5K! We only walked about .3 miles of it so it was a huge accomplishment! He even said he's be willing to try the 10K next year. The best part? He won a medal! 3rd place in his age group. We were positive it was a mistake...the kicker? There were only 3 men in his age group! GO GORDON!

And Finally... Why could I find glue sticks faster than I could find lighter fluid this weekend?!! Haha...

Big Time Blogging Challenge Day 6: Sweet Summer

This Summer = SAVE MONEY

So Instead I will talk about...

Previous Summers: 

In the last two summers, I have taken two amazing "dream-level" vacations. Last year we traversed Europe seeing London, Paris, Marseilles, Cannes, Nice, and Champagne France, Monaco, Milan, Italy, and Switzerland. The year before we saw the best of Southern California, starting in San Francisco, driving down the coast to Santa Barbra and then up to Yosemite National Park where we hiked Half Dome. My reward for the hike was a night in Napa Valley before returning home. Yes. I'm very spoiled, but maybe Gordon had a plan, woo me early with the dream vacations...Love him either way!

Overlooking Yosemite Valley. I had hiked that big thing lurking in the background the previous day and climbing the few steps up to where this picture is taken took me five minutes of groaning about how I can't bend my legs! 

How to keep me happy? Hike an hour, then stop for snacks! Then hike another hour and more snacks! Switzerland is really good for that! There is even a train to take you down the mountain, unlike the other picture above! 

Each past summer I have also stopped in Maine and worked as a camp counselor teaching swim lessons for a week to a few weeks to the whole summer! This is the first summer since 2006 I won't be there! I really miss camp and hope I can find something a little bit closer to home where I can still make an impact, perhaps with kids with special needs, AND play outside all day! Let me know if you have any leads near the western suburbs of Chicago!

So, in a way, this summer has been hard. Poor me, I know. Ha! Saving money is hard! But on the bright side, slowing down a bit  this summer has allowed me many opportunities. First to do this challenge, read some books and blogs, and just investigate and try new things that I would otherwise be too busy to even think about. Fiddling takes time! So this summer has been full of Professional development at it's finest with School work, cleaning work, and becoming an excellent chef!

In the meantime while Gordon and I are busy making small plans for the present and big plans for the future, we are trying to enjoy our weekends and extend them if possible! We spent time with family at a lake house for the 4th,  and there are plenty of wedding weekends past and present!

 I signed Gordon up for his first ever 5K on July 19th so we've been working on running! WEEEEE!!! Hopefully, I'll have a success picture to post!

 Lastly, if we find the time this summer, we hope to spend some time driving and camping around lake Michigan. Gordon did it as a kid and wants to show me how awesome it is. Too cute!

Just like life, summer is fleeting! I am trying to remind myself to look to the future but live in the moment and enjoy and remember how very lucky and blessed I am to be living my life each day.