Five Wonderful Things. {bye bye, 2014}

Happy Sunday, loves! 

There is a little less than three weeks left in 2014, and I've been constantly asking myself, "Where did it go?" I remember NYE 2014 like it was yesterday - I went to sleep crying, because I was alone - at that moment, I thought the year would be a bust, but 2014 has been anything but a bust. 

I have conquered more fears in 2014 than I could have ever imagined, and became more of the woman I am meant and want to be. My milestone birthday of twenty five came and went, and it was more fabulous than words can describe, and as I prepare for one week of school and three weeks at home with my wonderful family, I can't help but feel grateful and blessed for this amazing life and amazing year that I have been given. 

I hope, as 2014 disappears before us, you can also find tiny moments of gratefulness and contentment. I also encourage you clean house and prepare yourself for next year. Part of a new year is that you can shed old skin, literally and figuratively, and clean out space for better blessings. These blessings can take the form of people, jobs, or material goods, and you need to be ready for them. You can't accept a gift if your hands are still holding onto trash. 

With these last few weeks, find the time to make a literal list (on paper or electronically - I realize not everyone likes to hand write these days) and list the things you are most proud of in 2014 and the things you are most excited for in 2015. Hopefully your list will make you realize how wonderful you are and how hard you worked for those proud moments. 

This week marks the last week of school before winter break, and energy and emotions for all are running high, so as I take this Sunday and use it to recharge and do the things Lucy wants to do, I want to remind myself (and you) of Five Wonderful Things. 

1. I babysat a puppy this weekend. I don't like dogs anymore. I loved one dog, Mocha, and she was perfect. We put her to sleep when I was 21 and I never knew the loss of a pet until her. After her death, dogs were no longer welcome in my heart. Petty, I know, but we all deal with grief differently. My best friend, however, has a puppy and he's snuggled his way into my heart and I had the privilege of baby-sitting him this weekend. I had the best time walking and snuggling and playing fetch with him. My love for all dogs hasn't quite returned, but it was a nice weekend spent with a four legged friend. 

2. I did Christmas cards. This seems like a routine activity for some, but this year, was my first year doing Christmas cards for my friends and coworkers and it was such a sweet, loving feeling to write how much I loved each of them in a card decorated with a cat dressed in Christmas attire. I hope they enjoy them as much as I did. 

3. I planned my babes' winter celebration. My babes have earned a winter celebration, and they voted between a present party (a white elephant party) or arts and crafts, and my heart sang when they chose arts and crafts. We will have a ginger bread house contest, make ornaments, color scratch art, and make ugly sweater ornaments. My aunt is graciously providing pizza for our celebration and  I can't wait to spend Friday afternoon just being their friend instead of their teacher. 

4. I made a financial plan for 2015. I wrote down my financial goals for 2015, and the best way to achieve them. I may be cutting back my wants in the short term, but the long term gain will benefit me more. Being an adult isn't an age, it's a mindset - a mindset that you have to be willing to sacrifice in the present to reap benefits in the future. I will go back to Ireland in 2015, and I will begin to conquer student loan debt. Fabulous girls manage their whole life, including their money! 

5. I chose a MSA program that fits my lifestyle. I had previously written about applying to a MSA program at a prestigious Southern institution, and while that was a great experience, I have chosen a different path. I already have a Master's and there is a program that will allow me to add on to my license without going through a three year program, which is fantastic for so many reasons! So, come January, I will be a full time teacher and a part time student and I couldn't be more excited! 

As one o'clock creeps up on this Sunday afternoon, my sense of urgency is low - a Sunday well spent bring a week of contentment.  My lesson planning will be done in an appropriate amount of time and my book will be read for pleasure. 

Take this Sunday for yourself and bask in your fabulous life! (: Enjoy your Sunday, loves! Until next time, 
- xo, Lucy 

Five Wonderful Things. {difficult takes day, impossible takes a week}

As I sit here and sip my hot chocolate and enjoy a peaceful moment from being prepared for the week, I can't help but be so excited about this place I am in. This season of self-confidence and self-assurance is so needed after feeling so unsure and so unclear about myself and my purpose. Whether it was twenty-five or my own attitude change, I am grateful for a new set of experiences. 

This week is going to be equally as great, another opportunity to take over the world a little bit more, and change a little bit of the darkness to light. As I reflect on my week, I am overwhelmed by the compliments and encouragement I have received from my administration and my team that let me know the changes I am making, both personally and professionally, are noticeable. 

So, here's to a new week, with a weekend full of fun waiting for me at the end - hope your week is as great as you are! 

1. I got a powerful observation. As a BT 3 (beginning teacher, year 3), we still have to have so many observations a year, and I had my first official observation a few weeks ago and had my post conference this week. The lesson that was observed was okay (in my opinion), but my administrator had nothing but powerful and positive things to say about me. She let me know that my lesson was well-paced, engaging, and my students were empowered and they knew the material. Those simple things are so powerful to me, and are so meaningful as a teacher in a high-needs school. Being able to say all my babes were engaged and able to verbalize what we were doing is a powerful statement, and I hope that's the first of many positive observations that I have this year. 

2. Homecoming is this weekend. My undergrad's homecoming is this weekend, and I couldn't be more excited! I haven't seen some of my friends in years, which is awful to say, but friendships as adults has to be intentional and sometimes, life gets in the way. This weekend, responsibilities get put on hold for a mini-vacation that is well deserved. 

3. A new teacher is going to observe my literacy block. Again, seems simple on the surface, but it's a powerful motivator for me as a professional. I want to make others better teachers - that's a true passion. I want other people to love it as much as I do and I want teachers to be experts at best practices, not just what looks good. A cute classroom does not mean a thing if true learning isn't taking place, so hopefully this is the first step in a path of leading other teachers to great teaching. 

4. I turned down a guy. This sounds so petty, but again it's so meaningful in my growth as a woman and as a person. I won't go into many details, but I stood up for myself and my principles as a woman. Being a born again good girl isn't easy, but what's the point of having standards or ideals if you aren't going to stick to them? 

5. I delegated responsibility. I realize all of my moments are very simple, but simple moments that are powerful are life changing - that's what makes life so wonderful. This one was hard to do, but makes me proud to admit it. I have a team this year who craves excellence as much as I do, and is willing to put in the repeated long hours to see results. In order to achieve that, I have had to pass out responsibility and be okay with it. It seems like an easy task, but anyone who has led before knows, giving out that first task is difficult, but you have to be empowered that you have created an attitude of excellence and not compliance that will carry over to their work too. I am so blessed to call these ladies teammates, because they make breaking up responsibilities so very easy.  

One of my goals this week is to update Ginger On the Move mid-week, because there are a few issues I want to write about, so stay tuned! Until then, stay fabulous loves! 

Five Wonderful Things.

This past weekend has been, by far, one of the best weekends I have had in a long time, and not for any particular reason other than, I am finally enjoying this season of my life. 

Turning twenty-five was a mentally agonizing time for so many reasons. I realize that, for some, turning twenty-five was such a blink of an eye that my reservations about it are silly, but as a Southern woman, being twenty-five is a milestone. You should be married, or at least engaged, and you should be set in your career. Again, for some this doesn't bother them, but for me, not having all of that equation was a struggle. Very recently, however, my opinion and viewpoint has shifted dramatically. 

I have come to be in love with every minute of my life - key word: my. I have not a single obligation to anyone or anything other than myself and my profession. To be honest: I don't have an obligation to my profession per say, but I do have an obligation to my professional goals that I have set for myself. So, here's to a fabulous weekend that was simply fabulous, because I did what I want, with people that I love. As I bask in glow of a half-way successful Monday, here's to five wonderful things for this past week. I hope your week is as fabulous as you are, darlings. 

1. I had mid-week drinks with my friends. For a teacher, this is such a big deal - we are not the profession to meet at 5 for happy hour. We are the profession who stays at school till 5 and then goes home to work some more, and fall asleep before prime time television. This past week was different though. We shopped, laughed, and enjoyed ourselves like the young professionals we are. 

2. Walking Dead premiered. I love zombies. Yes, pretty girls can be nerds too. My best friend turned me on to the show, and I haven't been able to look away since. Last night, we had our annual zombie party to commemorate the premiere. While I felt the premiere was lack luster (personal opinion), it was nice to have zombies back in my life and time with my best friend is always a plus. 

3. I got my hair straightened. This seems like a tiny detail, but I never straighten my hair. I've had it straight less than ten times in my whole life, so when it happens, it's a big deal. A friend of mine straightened for a girls' night out + a friend's concert at a local club, and it just changed my world view. Simply having my hair straight changed me, just for a weekend - loosened me up for a bit. Call it silly, but it's nice to pretend to be someone else for a while. 

4. I balanced my work load. This has been a long time coming, and I am still not very good at it, but the key to true success is balancing work and life effectively and this week, I did all right for myself. I worked on things for a little bit on Saturday and it made my whole weekend better. There wasn't a rush on Sunday to do all plans for the week, and there wasn't this overwhelming feeling of dread. It was a nice balance. I hope I can make it stick. 

5. I am sticking to my budget. October is such a busy month for me, with a ton of activities that I want to do with all my friends and those activities cost money. My undergrad's homecoming is this month and I cannot wait to spend time with all my college friends, but that costs money. I made a budget at the beginning of the month, and here we are, almost halfway through, and I am sticking to it! I feel so empowered that I am in control of my money and don't feel anxious about where that money is going or how I am going to pay for x, y, and z. 

Monday can be sand paper or sparkles - I hope your's was sparkly all over! Until next time, loves 
- xo, Lucy 

Five Wonderful Things + Freebie Friday!

You would think after the first month of school that I would have this "plan a time to write my blog" thing down, but I don't, and that's so frustrating, because it's so hard (and other teachers, especially younger ones will agree) to separate life and school. 

It's so difficult to find that balance when there aren't set guidelines or parameters for when is it okay to work on school stuff and when it's not okay. The world seems to be content with the passion of teaching swallowing up your whole being and never truly giving it back, which means we (teachers) have to find a way to separate ourselves from our profession and passion, because we don't want to burn out or give up or lose ourselves. My teammates and I have resolved to work together to help each other separate school and life - one day a week, our school bags do not come home with us. We are all young and deserve a time for ourselves, even it's one day a week - we all deserve that chance to pursue the other interests in our lives. 

And, to top it all off, it's Friday - thank God and Ice Cube - the day that every professional craves from Monday morning to now, and boy do I need it. As the eternal optimist, I need time to regroup and be better than myself the next week, and that's what the weekend is for. So, here are Five Wonderful Things that have happened this week or are going to happen this weekend: 

1. I have my guided reading groups. Any teacher or any school that uses mClass as a universal reading screener will tell you that getting all the testing in before the window closes is one of the hardest tasks ever, but I have my finalized reading groups and REAL instruction on their level has started, which means I can start to see growth very soon. 

2. I have a friend staying with me from college. She needed a place to stay while waiting for her new apartment to open up, and I am more than happy to help out a friend. Even though we both kept "teacher" bedtimes (before 9), it was nice to have her here and have someone to chat with, if I wanted, when I came home. It made me consider a roommate for a hot second, but I still don't like wearing pants in my apartment, so it probably isn't for me. 

3. I am thinking about going back to school in January. Yes, you read that correctly! I am thinking about going to back to school in January. I miss it - I am such a nerd, and I don't care. I will wear my thick rimmed glasses and carry a stack of books before I do anything else - I love learning. My professional goals are shifting slightly, so who knows what the future holds for this little ginger? 

4. Fall started. This is something wonderful that happened for everyone, so don't you dare say nothing wonderful happened to you this week! I don't like wishing time away - it seems pointless and wasteful, but fall holds a special place in my heart. I am from the mountains of Kentucky and changing leaves and the smell that fall has will always warm my heart. I can't wait for sweaters and boots every day, and hot chocolate instead of coffee. Fall is my season. 

5. I read this week. Again, this is not a monumental event, but that's what Five Wonderful Things is truly about - taking small moments and realizing how important they are. This week, during the school week, I read. I sat down and read TWICE. After I completed my daily teacher tasks, I read for fun, and it was a book I wanted to read. This was so meaningful to my psyche and being able to set away from all obligations to just read and relax. So, I guess I took the first step in separating myself from school. 

Also - it's Freebie Friday! Anyone who leaves a comment will be entered to win something special from me! (: I want to meet my readers and bring some sparkle into your life! So, make sure you comment! 

Until, next time (tomorrow for Strategy Saturday!), 

- Lucy, xo 

Five Wonderful Things.

Well, hello there - it's so good to see you again, after about a million years. Life has been a crazy, tiresome, amazing whirlwind for the past two - three weeks, but I cannot complain. I've been living my passion and I had a birthday. All of these most recent events make up my Five Wonderful Things. I hope as we reconnect over this post, you take time to remember five things in your life that remind you how blessed you are or how you are living your passion day to day. Without further adieu, let's catch up...

1. I turned twenty five. That's right - I turned twenty five and so far, twenty five has been beautiful and fabulous. The opening week for teachers was the week of my birthday, so I had a nice dinner at a local Mexican restaurant with some of my closest friends. I got a repeat birthday celebration with my best friend (he had to work on my real birthday) this past weekend, and it was equally as amazing. Twenty five was something I was afraid - call it vanity, call it a quarter life crisis, call me whiny and over dramatic, but twenty five meant something to me. It came and left quietly, but reminded me that even if my life doesn't look how I want it now, that's okay - that's what my thirties are for. Twenty five is for late nights, less than frugal budgets, and memories of life as a single, passionate young woman. So, here's to being twenty five... 


2. My classroom was ready ahead of schedule. Yes, you read that right - my classroom was ready ahead of schedule. Any teacher or friend of a teacher knows that this is such a beast to get under control at the beginning of the year. You have to dust and clean, move furniture, hang bulletin boards, laminate until you are high from the smell, and make sure your space is right for all the little humans who are about to invade. I was blessed that my principal asked me to set up my room early for our new teachers (we had eighteen new hires), so that they could see what a Learning Focused classroom looked like, and I jumped at the chance. That meant I started school a little earlier than most, but I was grateful for a chance to be settled before the rush of meetings and deadlines started. I also used my new sewing machine (a birthday present to myself) to sew some bookcase covers for my new room. 

3. I have nineteen wonderful, I already love them students. I have nineteen students this year! I'll pause for the shock and awe to set in. Anyone who teaches upper grades knows that after third grade, class sizes can skyrocket. I had thirty students my first year teaching, so having nineteen students is such a luxury that I cannot completely comprehend right now. There is a strong possibility I can see everyone in a small group twice a day (once for reading and once for math) and that is a mind-blowing concept. They are so sweet and love school so much, and I can already feel how amazing this year will be, which is exciting, because it might be hard to top last year's bond. 

4. My teammates are heaven sent. This year, our school had eighteen new hires, between classroom teachers, instructional assistants, and support staff, and two of those hires were new fifth grade teachers to join my team. I had two great teachers last year that I was blessed enough to work with and learn from, and I was hesitant to be too excited about my new teammates, but that quickly dissipated. My new teammates are wonderful and so enthusiastic and hard working and love this life as much as I do, which is an exciting, but nervous thought. As much as I love teaching and education, I have to remember to set a balance and let myself have time to breathe, so I hope that, as a team, we can find this balance together. 


5. I got a Dooney + Bourke purse for my birthday.  This is very materialistic, I know that, but if you know me personally, you know how much I love purses and how much I love high-quality designer purses, and my wonderful best friend got me one for my birthday and it's gorgeous and I love it. He (yes, I have a boy best friend and no, I don't care what you think) did a fantastic job at picking out something that I love and I can't wait to carry it into the fall - it's the perfect fall bag! 




So, ladies and gentlemen, it's been a crazy few weeks and the ride is about to get even faster and crazier, so let's enjoy this together! Until next time, friends - 

xo,
Lucy 

Five Wonderful Things {back to school edition.}

Here it is, Sunday afternoonish - my last day of summer. Today, my body has taken a long sigh and decided to thoroughly enjoy my last day of summer. After three hours of (mediocre) work, I gave in and popped some popcorn and watch Drop Dead Gorgeous. 

Five Wonderful Things takes a beautiful spin this week, as it's my birthday week and it's back to school for teachers - so many exciting things to be ready for! 

1. My birthday is in 5 days. Five days till 25 - woah, I can't believe that! I've been waiting all summer for my birthday and here it is. It's paired with the opening meetings for teachers and preparations for my new students, but it's still my birthday week and I'll still be turning 25. 

2. Students come to my room in a week. I get a whole new batch of cupcakes in a week! My best friends are ten, and I have waited all summer to meet my new friends. My favorite part about teaching is, of course, my students. Without them, this means nothing. Without them, none of the anchor charts, best practices, teaching books - none of this means anything. I can't wait to meet them - this fourth grade group coming up is amazing! 

3. I'm having a birthday party. I haven't had a birthday since I turned 21, and I haven't had a good birthday party since I turned 16, so this means a lot to me. I used Punchbowl to invite my friends from near and far, and sure enough - people have responded! I have felt so surrounded with love by the simple act of people RSVP'ing to my dinner. I can't wait! 

4. My students will start the year with pencils, folders, and notebooks. Any teacher will tell you that students coming to school without supplies is a burden and a moment of sadness, because it becomes our responsibility to help make the act of learning possible. I get it - there are families with lots of children and the cost of supplies is high, but it is necessary. Please, please, please buy even the smallest amount of supplies for your child - somewhere a teacher will be sighing in relief. In my personal classroom, I have been blessed with the opportunity to buy supplies for my classroom and my aunt has helped me out so much, so my students will start off well! 

5. My best friend is getting me a book bag. I am so incredibly excited for this book bag! It's part of my birthday present, but I know it's going to be Hello Kitty and nothing says back to school like a Hello Kitty book bag! 

I am in love with this season of my life - specifically these past few weeks, I am utterly involve with this time. I hope you are too. I hope you have Five Wonderful Things in your life that you are in love with .

Until next time, dolls - 
xo 

Five Wonderful Things {weekend edition.}

Thank God and Ice Cube for Friday...

Even though, I don't have a traditional work week right now, because of the summer - I am still grateful for Friday and the weekend. My friends are on semi-regular schedules then, and the feeling of the weekend (as an adult) is indescribable. I read on Facebook this week that August is an endless Sunday night for teachers and I have to agree. My summer has disintegrated in front of me and my summer bucket list has been left untouched - my coveted beach trip included. I cannot complain, I have been blessed with opportunities this summer to further my professional brand and to relax - two things I was desperate for. To wrap up this week, and to put the glorious weekend into perspective - here are five wonderful things from my week. 

1. I presented unit maps to the district. I was asked to write two unit maps for my school district, which is an honor that I am valued and humbled by. Today, I presented my units and they were well received with minor changes. I was very nervous, which rarely happens, but it was a shining moment in my career. 

2. I planned with my new teammate. Both of my teammates left this year, which left fifth grade two (wo)men down, and anyone who knows elementary school knows that fifth grade is a hard grade to fill. We (my school) were able to fill the positions with two enthusiastic, but young teachers. While my new teammates have not had teaching experience, they are passionate and ready to go, which is invaluable! While one of my teammates is busy fulfilling previous commitments, my other teammate and I have been making provisions for the first week of school, which is an exciting process. 

3. My birthday is in two weeks. My birthday is in two weeks and for the first time in many years, I am attempting to plan my own party - 25 is a big birthday, and I want to have fun and make good memories for this (life changing) birthday. I have only had 3 RSVPs, but I am staying positive that it will be a good night. 

4. I completed a crafting project. I bought old love letters from the flea market a long time ago, and just stored them away. I bought an old secretary desk off of Craig's List and thanks to some DIY inspiration, the desk is now covered in old love letters. It was a super easy and super quick project, but it has made my home office area a very nice and productive space. 

5. I still have one week of summer left. That's right - I have one week of summer left, just seven days, but seven powerful days that will be spent reading, snuggling with my cat, and playing Sims (my nerdy guilty pleasure.) I know this school year will be an extremely important year in my career for many reasons, I can feel it, and I want to be as prepared as possible. 

Here are my five wonderful things for this week - as you wind down with a glass of wine or tea this Friday night, think about your week and what five wonderful things happened to you. If you're having a hard time coming up with some, maybe you need to make some changes in your life, friend. It's just a thought. 

Until, next time, loves 

-xo

Five Wonderful Things.

CNN, during the work week, has a running article that focuses on five news events to start your work week with. I find myself drawn to this article for numerous reasons, but I really like how easily it identifies five important events that may define your day - some are more serious than others, and there's always a token funny pet video, but it had me thinking about my own weeks and days, and how I can identify moments that can provided definition and clarity in a sometimes crazy world. The result of those brain-storming moments: Five Wonderful Things on Sunday evenings - a reflection on what made the week memorable or things that I am looking forward to. 

To the first edition of Five Wonderful Things: 

1. 50 Shades of Grey trailer premiered. Yes, this is a wonderful thing for me and countless other women (and men) who fell head over heels in love with Christian Grey in the hit serious. Today ran a two day series showcasing the trailer and behind the scenes footage that had me melting. I even re-read the whole series this weekend, hopefully sustaining my need until Valentine's Day 2015. Who doesn't love a megalomaniac CEO and his hopeless addiction to a bookish regular girl? 

2.  My best friend got a puppy. While this doesn't affect the world on a macro scale, it most certainly affects my micro world. He has been wanting a puppy for a while, and he finally got one - which is life changing! I am so in love with that little nugget, he fits in my hands right now and I am soaking up puppy snuggles until he gets too big. 

3. Back to school sales are in full swing. This is such an exciting time for me. I am obsessed with school supplies! As a teacher, I buy in bulk - spending a large sum to jump start my classroom, but I don't mind spending the money. If you know how to buy smart and which stores allow more than the limit for teachers and use price matching, you can make a huge dent in the sticker shock of back to school shopping. 

4. I get paid on this week. This is so important for so many reasons. I know money will not buy happiness nor does having money ensure that you will feel fulfilled, but that stretch from June till the end of July is a long time not to get paid. Thank God for parents and grandparents who are willing to still help you out when the times get tough. 

5. On Friday, I'm taking out some former students. On Friday, I am taking out a few of my former students from last year, and I could not be any more excited!! While I love all of my classes, I made such a connection with this class - I was so sure of myself as a teacher, which made for better relationships. 

So, here are my five wonderful things that are giving me hope or gave me hope. Think about your weeks and identify five things that keep you wanting more - the beauty in life comes from small things and moments. Don't overlook those - no one is going to come and remind you to be appreciative.


Have a great Monday, loves!
Till next time, 
-xo, Lucy