Thoughts on Cleaning

A few thoughts on cleaning house:

I don't like it. I am not good at it. My dear sweet OMM, wrote in her bio on her blog that she would choose reading over cleaning. Another reason she was my Other Mom Marilyn. I would rather be reading my book instead of cleaning. In fact, I had to bribe myself to clean the bathroom with reading. 

I spent twenty minutes deep cleaning the thunder box. Really, twenty minutes? No one told you growing up that you were going to take twenty minutes out of your day cleaning the loo. I also thought that no one ever cleans outhouses in the woods. (Thanks to Roto Rooter for having a blog with 101 different names for the toilet!)

While cleaning the sink, I thought of my grandmother. I think of her every time I clean the sink. I remember her teaching me how to polish the faucet and make it shine. One of the many lesson she taught me while growing up.

I also feel like I deserve a taco for all this cleaning nonsense!

Today

Today...is a wrap your hands around a mug of hotness and settle in. All week the weather has been up and down and we have been told that we were going to get snow. Well, you can't really call what we have gotten snow, but it has been cooler and there has been some rain. I love this kind of weather and I love getting a cup of something warm and cuddle in, usually with a book.

Today... I discovered the author Amy Krouse Rosenthal. She wrote several children's books and even some fun ones for adults. I have to be honest in saying that I haven't read any of her books. I didn't live in the picture book world for every long before I moved to fourth grade and the adventures of middle grade books. I found her through Instagram and one of my favorite authors. Today is Amy's birthday, and the first one since she passed away about six weeks ago from cancer. I spent the morning pouring over Amy's Instagram page and her blog. This woman inspires me. I can't wait to start on my own Project 1,2,3.

Today...leaves us with fourteen days of school left. I have been spending a lot of time thinking about what I am gong to do this summer. It's almost time to build my Summer Adventure list. I do know that there will be lots of books read and lots of naps taken.

What are you up to today?

Grateful

Lately I have been reading a book called The Pages Between Us by by Lindsey Leavitt and Robin Mellom.

In the book Olivia and Piper have a notebook that they write to each other in and pass during passing periods at school because they no longer have class together and can't talk as easily. I love the idea and the format of the book.

But mostly I like what each girl writes at the end of each letter. They make a list of five things they are grateful for. I have thought a lot about this the past few weeks I have been reading it. I really like the idea. I myself need to focus on the things that I am grateful for more often. Some times the girls had a hard time coming up with five, but they always did. Some days it is hard to find things to be grateful for, but I feel like this applies to that also:

If you can't thing of anything to be grateful for, you aren't thinking hard enough. 

I am going to start thinking harder each day.

Here are a few things I have been thankful this week:

-The amazing growth our students have shown on their districts tests

-Laughter

-Snapchat

-Blogging twice in one day (but making myself wait to post)

-Being able to pay off a credit card

-Automatic coffee makers

-Friendships that form when you least expect it

What are you grateful for?

Slice of Life Challenge...Take Four

Four years ago I stumbled on to Two Writing Teachers and the adventure of Slice of Life. Each March they have the Slice of Life Challenge and encourage writers to write everyday for the whole month. They even challenge writers in the classroom to participate. So, I pitched it to my class and got four girls to join me. I loved it, even though I myself wasn't successful with the challenge.

Now, is my chance to redeem myself! Fourth times a charm right? Oh wait, that's the third.

This year, most of my class said that they wanted to do it. We rounded up notebooks and recovered some of the old covers and are ready. I kept forgetting that it starts tomorrow and they would say they were so excited for Wednesday and I always had to ask why. I am hoping that this isn't an omen to how I am going to do. Did I mention that I have not ever been successful with this challenge?

I want to do this. I want to succeed. I want to be a writer, even if is is only for this month. I know that I am going to need topics to write about, so I have a slew of writing prompts to pick from when this time comes.

Year four starts tomorrow. The month of success. This time, I will complete the challenge!

Do you want to join me in this writing adventure?

What are some topics you could add to my What-should-I-write-about list?

17 Update

Anyone else have good intentions of doing something and then it doesn't get done? Story of my life!

I wanted to blog on or around the 17th of each month to update my journey with 17. Did you see one in January? Yeah, me neither. 

I win in February!

• Read 17 adult books
• 2 of 17 - I realized that last year I read a lot of children's books, which isn't bad, but I have been missing the adult world. So far this year, children's books are still winning. 
• Read 17 children's books
• 5 of 17 - So far my favorite one was Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan
• Write 17 letters
• I am not sure on the number on this one. I have started writing my sister every week on Sunday night to go out in the mail on Monday. I have also sent some extra ones. This goal won't be a hard one to accomplish.
• Get 17 or more miles a week with Fitbit
• 1 of 6 - This one is bothering me the most. A month ago I got in a fight with a patch of ice and the ice won. I haven't been able to walk around as much or as well for a few weeks. I think it is finally getting better and the beautiful weather we have had lately has helped. 
• Blog 17 times
• Does this post count? 2 of 17 - I have thought about blogging, just haven't gotten it done. 
• Get rid of 17 things a month from around the house
• 0 of 17 - I don't feel like I can give myself a point on this one yet. I got the first box of stuff ready and in the car for January and there it still sits. I keep forgetting to drop it off. The February box has been started. Maybe this weekend I can get this task accomplished.
• Make 17 phone calls to people I don't talk to often
• 0 of 17  1 of 17 - Apparently I just like to think of things and not actually do them. I have thought lots about who I want to call, but just haven't done it yet. WAIT! I believe I do have one! I talked to my good friend the other night for two hours! We were both up way past our bedtimes and it was really hard to get up and to school the next day, but it was worth it!

I am not super happy about these stats, but the good news is that I have 10 more months to improve!  

17 in 2017

About a week ago when I should have been sleeping, or getting ready for work, or anything that is adulting, I was on Pintrest.

I found a pin from a lady who had a list of 17 things she wanted to do before 2017. Well let's face it, I wouldn't be able to do that. BUT I thought, "What about 17 IN 2017?" and I quickly became obsessed.

I got out my everything notebook and started a list. You know how I love lists. I even made a 2017 board on Pintrest. I went through and picked at least a pin from each board equaling 17 pins to do throughout the year.

Did I mention that I became obsessed?

Here's what I have so far:

• Read 17 adult books
• Read 17 children's books
• Write 17 letters
• Get 17 or more miles a week with Fitbit
• Blog 17 times
• Get rid of 17 things a month from around the house
• Make 17 phone calls to people I don't talk to often

What do you think? Have any you think I should add? 

Currently I'm....

Reading..."Wish" by Barbra O'Conner and I can not wait to share it with my class. In fact, I want to jump ship with our current read aloud so I can read this one to them. I am not finished, but I just know that it is going to be a forever book for me. I very much enjoyed "How to Steal a Dog" by O'Conner and many people in the blog/book world said that it was better. It is reminding me of some of my other forever books: Ruby Holler, Snicker of Magic and Key to Extraordinary.

Watching...the Olympics. What? How long have they been over? I was so busy when they were on that I had to record a lot of them. It is very slow going. I only seem to find time to watch about one swim race at a time, usually while I am eating breakfast before school. I know most of the results already, but still want to watch.

Trying...to keep my head above water. School came rushing at me and I didn't have my life vest securely fastened before it hit. Hopefully soon I can get it in place and start swimming.

Drinking...as much water as I can without leaving my class unattended too much. I read somewhere that lemon, lime and cucumber in your water will help with unnecessary eating so I gave it a try and I like it. Plus I have this epic water bottle that keeps ice in it for hours! It makes drinking water such a delight!

Listening to...Happier with Gretchen Rubin which is a pod cast and I am loving it! It is great to listen to in the car and each one is about 30 minutes long so it is the perfect length. I knew of this other before and enjoyed some of the tips that I had picked up. I have found a few more that I would like to implement into my every day life. I want to go back and listen to all of them and make sure I have a notebook handy!

Thankful for...my team teacher and the laughs that we find throughout the day. I believe that these are the moments that are keeping my head from exploding.

What are you currently reading. watching, trying. drinking, listening to and/or thankful for?